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Self-Portrait: Vertical Motion Up, Medium

Blythe Bohnen

Artwork Details

Self-Portrait: Vertical Motion Up, Medium
1983
Blythe Bohnen
gelatin silver print on paper
15 7/8 in x 19 13/16 in (40.3 cm x 50.3 cm);22 1/8 in x 28 3/16 in (56.2 cm x 71.6 cm);16 in x 19 15/16 in (40.7 cm x 50.6 cm);15 1/16 in x 18 7/8 in (38.2 cm x 47.9 cm)
Gift of Herbert and Paula Molnar
1992/1.150

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Description

Subject Matter:

This photograph is a self portrait. Standing against a blank wall with her shoulders bare, the artist faces the camera, almost in the manner of a passport photo. Her head however, is distorted, blurred, and nearly illegible. This is due to a series of movements she performed during the image’s exposure. While the shutter was open, she moved her head and body up and down in pre-prescribed motions. The traces of these movements were collected and compiled together on the negative, resulting in the nebulous, blurred appearance of having two faces, one above the other. While distorted, the eyes of these two faces remain uncannily clear; they stare expressionlessly forward into the camera’s lens, an effect both magnetic and unnerving.

Physical Description:

This photograph is a blurred and distorted portrait of a figure standing against a blank wall.

Usage Rights:

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