About this artwork
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.
Artwork details
- Dimensions
- image: 1156 x 817 mm
- Location
- Tate Collections
- Copyright
- © The estate of John Coplans | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Comments
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/coplans-self-portrait-torso-front-p11672
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
About this artwork
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.
Comments
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/coplans-self-portrait-torso-front-p11672
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
