Available Portrait Colors 1990

Curator: Here we have Annette Lemieux's "Available Portrait Colors." It's quite large, over four meters wide, and consists of various shades of color arranged in a grid. Editor: It’s strikingly minimalist, almost like a color chart. The earthy tones create a sense of warmth, yet the rigid grid feels very clinical. Curator: Indeed. This work invites us to consider the commodification of identity and how colors are used in the market to represent people. Editor: The palette itself, those muted pinks and browns, evokes a feeling of nostalgia, perhaps referencing old photographs or makeup palettes. Curator: Lemieux is known for her explorations of mass media and consumer culture. I think she challenges the viewer to think about how portraiture, and its history, is constructed through readily available and reproducible means. Editor: I agree. It's interesting how such simple components can spark such profound questions about representation. Curator: It makes you consider the politics embedded in even the most seemingly neutral elements. Editor: A compelling piece, indeed. Curator: Quite thought-provoking.