I Am the Face

The use of portraiture within the arts first began with painting and sculpture. The portrait has always served a utilitarian purpose of providing a realistic depiction of the human form while immortalizing the subject in space and time. In the past, portrait painting was typically reserved for the wealthy and was produced as a means to show power, prestige and status.

Photography had a great democratizing effect on portraiture. When photography became accessible to the masses in the late 1800s with the release of the very first Kodak cameras, portraiture became widespread across social and economic lines. Because of its convenience, ease of use and affordability, portraiture within photography soon replaced painting in popularity. From the inexpensive tintype of the nineteenth century to today’s camera phone, selfie and social media, the camera’s ability to accurately capture the human face and emotion remain supreme.

Drawn exclusively from the permanent collection of Ogden Museum of Southern Art, I Am the Face is a mediation on the history of portraiture within Southern Photography. Beginning with the early twentieth century to the present, I Am The Face highlights ever-changing ideas, trends, methods and technologies that define the photographic portrait. Picturing the human condition, the relationship between photographer and subject, and the inherent power of perception that the camera possesses is addressed throughout the exhibition.