Congratulations to Jane Guthleben who is a finalists in the 2024 Portia Geach Memorial Award with her self portrait 'The Female Artist'.
This painting is part of an ongoing series of portraits of women that I call ornament-portraits; small in size and designed to be the opposite of monuments, which have historically been mostly of men. I stand the subject on a little plinth so that she appears rather like an ornament on a shelf. I usually choose women I admire in the Arts, Politics or the Media. This series is not to diminish the achievements of these women, but rather to draw attention to the fact that women’s appearance continues to be a subject of discussion – that women continue to be “ornamental” - despite their work and stature.
Inspired by Wendy Sharpe’s Self Portrait as Circus Banner 2019, I decided to paint a self-portrait. In her portrait, Wendy pointed to the continuing pitfalls of being a female artist, including being known as a “woman artist” rather than just an artist, having no visible means of support, and wearing a cloak of invisibility.
Female Artist is a nod to this and is painted in the style of a still life, which is often seen as female subject matter. I have imagined myself as a porcelain ornament, standing in front of an easel with a flower painting. The apron and the pastel colours add to the domesticity of the subject matter.
Jane Guthleben, 2024
Finalists exhibition will be held at the S.H Ervin Gallery, 25 October – 15 December 2024, Sydney
IMAGE:
JANE GUTHLEBEN
‘The Female Artist (self-portrait)’ 2024
oil on marine ply
40 x 20cm
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