Many of today's emerging artists are using portraiture or self-portraiture to explore complex issues of identity. At the same time, these artists are also testing the boundaries of the genre of figurative art. Others are finding success through a renewed attention to classical training in representational art. Artists who regularly create portraits on commission are also experiencing a higher level of interest in their work. The Outwin Boochever Competition 2006 brings together work that exemplifies these trends. Selected from more than 4,000 entries--from every state in the union--by a jury of experts, the fifty-one portraits included provide clear evidence of the strength of portraiture in today's world, and signal the National Portrait Gallery's increased commitment to contemporary art and today's Americans.

The Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, 2006

Arts & Photography

Hickey, Dave

History & Criticism

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institute

Awarded the Washington DC Book Publishers' design and effectiveness competition Honorable Mention in the category of Illustrated Text from a Small- to Medium-Size Nonprofit Publisher and Third Prize in the category of Illustrated Jacket or Cover from a Small- to Medium-Size Nonprofit Publisher Ballyhoo! looks at the poster as a form of popular portraiture. These celebrity likenesses are dramatic―and often enormous―but in fact, what a poster communicates about an individual is usually secondary to its principal message: Barnum and Bailey announcing the arrival of their circus, the Woodbury Soap company using Veronica Lake to promote its "matched make-up," Greta Garbo advertising the Swedish version of Queen Christina, or Bette Midler publicizing her 1973 concert at the Palace Theater. By interweaving the three themes of poster art, celebrity promotion, and advertising, Ballyhoo! suggests how a famous face can enhance the message of the poster and, conversely, how posters have defined and disseminated images of prominent Americans. Furthermore, posters provide an instructive glimpse of an era's prevailing ideals, prejudices, and presumptions. These images remind us of the ubiquitous presence of portrait images outside the world of fine art. Widely disseminated forms of popular portraiture, like the poster, remain a profound influence in our culture.

Ballyhoo!: Posters as Portraiture

Reaves, Wendy Wick

Graphic Design

Every day we are inundated with faces. Images of celebrities, acquaintances, and friends--in the news, on social networking sites, on the street--are constantly changing. Portraits, on the other hand, slow us down. They capture the artist's carefully conceived approach to the subject, whether a friend, a loved one, or a self-portrait. For this book and exhibition, the second in an ongoing series, the National Portrait Gallery held an open competition, asking artists throughout the United States to submit likenesses of people close to them. From more than 3,300 entries from every state, a jury of experts chose forty-nine works of art in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, drawing, video and new media, and photography. They are as diverse as America and represent many stylistic approaches. The grand prize winner received a $25,000 award and will be given a commission to create a portrait of a notable living American for the Portrait Gallery's permanent collection. The artists shown here use portraiture or self-portraiture to explore complex issues of identity, while they also test the boundaries of figurative art. These faces compel our curiosity and document the dynamic relationship between artist and subject. Ranging from quietly pensive to wildly expressive, these creative approaches to the art of portraiture assert the power of human connections.

The Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, 2009

Fairbrother, Trevor

Collections, Catalogs & Exhibitions

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Books by National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institute