MY WORK AND THE GAZE

IDENTITY, 2008
(Extra-diegetic gaze)
Medium: Acrylic on cardboard

      I portray myself in a number of my own paintings. I use photographs and mirrors as major tools. After finishing my piece of art, I would sit back and analyse my work. Sometimes I find it quite interesting as I would show half of my face and my gaze would be directly looking out of the canvas. Also I would try to create a mood by looking away. This has influenced my choice of my study project. I have planned to analyse how artist use the gaze in paintings and how it affects the people who are looking at them. When a painting looks back at us it has a very powerful effect. An Extra-diegetic gaze (direct gaze) has been used in several portrait paintings I have made. I believe it helps to create a connection between the audience and the painting itself. A direct gaze is often a sign of confidence.

      In real life it is sometimes difficult to maintain direct eye contact for a long time. There are social rules on the way we look at people, and the rules are different depending on who we are looking at. For example eye contact between friends, might be different than eye contact between strangers. In painting that moment is fixed, however the social rules are taken away. As an audience we are able to look at the subject in the painting without worrying how it feels. We can also look for a longer period of time. The subject in the painting that we are facing won’t be embarrassed by our presence. I feel there’s a certain power when the subject in painting looks back at us.