The dichotomous self : a study on portraiture and the identity of the sitter

Abstract

The objective of this thesis is to obtain an insight into the medium of photography, most particularly into that of portraiture, and how this is regarded within contemporary image making. More importantly, the study explores the identity of a sitter and how the true self is able to emerge, in order to provide an authentic portrayal. The practice-led project aims to enquire the validity and authenticity of a portrait and thus, it presents the conflict between the subjective and objective portrayal of a sitter. Furthermore, it analyses the notion of time in conjunction with the sitter鈥檚 identity and consequently, how it affects a portrait. Thus, recurrent themes of time, authenticity and identity are questioned through the medium of photography. An analysis of the results conducted in the semi鈥搒tructured interviews, indicates how capturing the true self is an essential aspect in order for a portrayal to be authentic. However, it is also indicated that a portrait may never capture the full identity of a sitter. Even though a photographer can still capture an honest essence of the subject, the element of time still prevails. Thus, the idea that everything undergoes constant change makes a portrait truly and authentically valid, having captured a moment in time.