Reception Dec. 3, 7–8:30 p.m.

Artist Talk Dec. 3, 7:30–8 p.m.

An exhibition of self-portraits in several mediums from Greenville's art community. 

The CVA-Greenville will close out the fall semester and holiday season with an exhibition entitled Selfie:  Greenville Artists and the “New” Self-Portrait, an invitational that seeks to challenge Greenville artists and creatives to “re-think” and “re-interpret” the classic self-portrait in the face of changing technologies and social media trends.

Selfie is an exhibition that seeks to challenge Greenville artists to both embrace and critique the selfie and the social media culture that has pervaded the “new” self-portrait.  If we think critically about the history of art, we find that the idea of self-representation is not new.  Renaissance artists were among the first to sign their own work, and artists like Michelangelo, Dürer, and others fashioned images of themselves on occasion, often to promote their reputation as professional artists.  Rembrandt religiously created portraits of himself at various stages throughout his life so that he could better understand the human condition and the phenomenon of aging.  In the modern area, we have seen artists like Picasso depict the ongoing theme of the artist in his studio, or the artist at work.  And throughout the ages, artists have created self-portraits in the guise of another’s identity- be it a harlequin, a renowned peer, or a mythological figure.

How has the selfie changing our modern notion of identity?  Greenville artists will submit work for this exhibition that seeks to provide answers to this question.  Artists should challenge themselves to think broadly about what a self-portrait can represent.  Is the definition of portraiture limited to one’s countenance, or could it be something more?  Could it be a landscape of a place that defines a person?  Or could it be a collage of items that mean something special to an individual?  It is our hope through this exhibition to start a conversation about contemporary identity, the influence of technology on the “new” self-portrait, and the vibrancy of the Greenville arts scene.

Participating artists:

Jamie Bunney

Danielle Fontaine

David Gerhard

Cory Godbey

Erin Godbey

Bryan Hiott

Jennifer Janeiro

Michael Marks

Anthony Milian

Jen Moreau

Naomi Nakazato

Lib Ramos

Kaitlyn Walters