A Portrait Apart Deux

Porter Contemporary presents A Portrait Apart Deux, a group exhibition comprised of the works of artists representing their unique idea of portraiture. The exhibition opens to the public Thursday, February 27, 2014 with a wine reception with the artists from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. 

The concept for this series of exhibitions is that each artist, although around the globe from one another, is only a portrait apart. In 2011, Porter Contemporary presented A Portrait Apart, an exhibition of 15 artists from over 6 countries whose views on portraiture gave a diverse overview of the understanding of a well-known art form.  A Portrait Apart Deux further explores the idea of contemporary portraiture through the works of twenty-two artists and over ten mediums. 

While portraiture in general is deeply rooted in tradition and often considered a conservative art form, artists today are not confining themselves to these limitations. Portraiture is taking on an idea or concept of something, perhaps not even a person, and manifesting that idea in a more abstract fashion.

Contemporary artists are drawing upon some of the same resources that have historically influenced portrait artists like celebrities, friends, family and even themselves but they are oftencreating fictional portraits, using unexpected mediums, dramatically cropping images and sometimes not even depicting people.

Portraiture reinvents itself with every generation and culture. A Portrait Apart Deux encompasses the essence of what portraiture means to us today through the works of international artists Melissa Anderson, Dianne Athey, Jason Bryant, Louise Daddona, Beata Drozd, Janice Gossman, Naoto Hattori, Amy Hill, JaH-HaHa, Jeff Huntington, Jee Hwang, Elizabeth Knowles, Tasha Lewis, Katarzyna Majak, Jana Millstone, Bruno Perillo, Johnny Romeo, Rachel Sharp, Anne Smerdon, James Stamboni, Suprina, Meghan Willis.

A Portrait Apart Deux will be on view at Porter Contemporary through Saturday, April 5th, 2014.