All for one!
Who to include in the cluster of portraits in theory seemed a difficult task. In reality it wasn’t. The strong portraits stayed strong and the weak ones in their own right were transformed when placed in a group context, a kind of socialism of artworks.
Which is partly the point. We are all in this together, can we similarly solve problems facing society with collaboration and collective effort?
Having established that most of the portraits worked with each other – they propped each other up and helped each other out – the only problem to face was an enjoyable one of choosing their arrangement and choosing which worked best alongside each other.
Having tried many arrangements it turned into a question of dynamics and design, which design created the best flow and the most visually attractive look. It really was just playing, creating and having fun.
I was pleased with the interaction, how these portraits had a dialogue with each other, and was pleased with the emotional reaction they drew when looking at them all together. The feeling was a strange one when looking at so many portraits as one and where so many of the faces were looking directly back. Hopefully they will elicit a similar reaction in the viewer.
