Dimensions: image: 1156 x 817 mm
Copyright: © The estate of John Coplans | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Okay, so this is John Coplans' "Self-Portrait (Torso, Front)." It's a photograph, and I find myself drawn to the texture and how intimate and vulnerable it feels. What do you make of its directness? Curator: You know, it's fascinating how Coplans dares us to confront the aging body, turning away from idealized nudes. I see a real beauty in the unflinching gaze at mortality, a quiet rebellion against societal norms. It's almost punk, isn’t it? Editor: Punk, I like that! So, beyond the shock value, do you think there's a deeper message about acceptance, or perhaps even celebration, of the imperfect self? Curator: Absolutely. It's a conversation starter. A mirror reflecting our own anxieties and, hopefully, our potential for self-love. It invites us to really see, doesn't it? Editor: It does. I think I'm seeing it differently now.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/coplans-self-portrait-torso-front-p11672
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These photos were taken by the artist John Coplans of his own gnarled and wrinkled body. Although they are self-portraits, Coplans doesn't show his face. Instead he focuses on isolated body parts such as hands and feet, showing them enlarged and close-up, so that they seem at once familiar and unfamiliar. Coplans' monumental images recall classical sculpture, whilst emphasising the relentless progression of the aging process. Gallery label, August 2004