Conclusion of the project

Over the course of this blog I have tried to present both the major concerns of my art practice, its evolution in part, and the research that informs it. In the first few posts I considered the relationship between portraiture and human value (my content) with regards to a historical perspective, the reflection of this relationship in Australian-portraiture supporting institutions and the context of my Christian faith. The next couple of posts were concerned with my process and my reasons to want to better know my subjects. Following this were my explorations into other art practices that centered on portraiture through the moving image in order to develop the formal properties of my work. I began by researching video portraits - which can help with considerations of sound and composition - then moved on to animated portraits. From this latter type of portrait I examined self-portraits as well as practices that centered on portraits of others. These I found informative in developing my own animation technique. The final section was concerned with the use of portraiture in a community context, which I found helpful in considering the community impact of my own project.

Finally, the aim of this project is and has been to present the assertion that humans are valuable and equally so because of their being made in the image of God. This is in opposition to what appears to be a commonly held assumption of the connection between value and personal achievement in Australia. My work is not necessarily proposing a democratisation of the subjects of portraiture but rather a challenge for everyone to personally examine how they view and value people from different socio-economic situations. Would the homeless guy on the street corner be as welcome at your next dinner party as the rich and trendy couple from across the road?