Auto Focus - The Self-Portrait in Contemporary Photography

‘An intriguing new survey … a feast of elaborate photographic reinvention’ – The Observer


This dazzling array of photographs by seventy-five of the world’s foremost contemporary photographers focuses on self-portraiture.

From intimate images of introspection and those that challenge notions of ethnicity and sexuality, to dramatic, stylized photographs of dream-like scenarios, Auto Focus shows how one of the longest-established artistic genres continues to fascinate artists today.

Susan Bright provides a clear guide for readers through this significant and dynamic genre, showing how issues of identity – whether national, sexual, racial, personal or artistic – are key to understanding the work of many of today’s leading photographers.

The complete list of photographers:

Tarek Al-Ghoussein
Shokoufeh Alidousti
Anas Al-Shaikh
Ananké Asseff
Walead Beshty
Sian Bonnell
Slater Bradley
Elina Brotherus
Ana Casas Broda
Nick Cave
Serge Comte
Kelli Connell
Janieta Eyre
Thomas Florschuetz
Joan Fontcuberta
Samuel Fosso
Anna Fox
LaToya Ruby
Frazier Gaüeca
Nan Goldin
Marnix Goossens
Aneta Grzeszykowska
Sunil Gupta
Jeff Harris
Lyle Ashton Harris
Anita Khemka
Shigeyuki Kihara
Oleg Kulik
Charles Latham
Nikki S. Lee
Hew Locke
Melanie Manchot
Malerie Marder
Annu Palakunnathu Matthew
Boris Mikhailov
Arno Rafael Minkkinen
Tracey Moffatt
Rod Morata
Yasumasa Morimura
Trish Morrissey
My Little Dead Dick
Yurie Nagashima
Ni Haifeng
Susanne Nørregård Nielsen
Ken Ohara
Lisa Ohlweiler
Catherine Opie
Tatsumi Orimoto
Chino Otsuka
Florence Paradeis
Tatiana Parcero
Martin Parr
Paul+a
Dita Pepe
Shannon Plumb
Julie Pochron
Airyka Rockefeller
Tracey Rose
Nanna Saarhelo
Tomoko Sawada
Zineb Sedira
Jo Seub
Siya Singh
Jemima Stehli
Camilla Sune
Vibeke Tandberg
Sam Taylor-Wood
Christian Thompson
Danny Treacy
Gillian Wearing
Erwin Wurm
Noriko Yamaguchi
Kimiko Yoshida
Zhang Huan
Zhu Ming

The survey is clearly organized into five themess that deal with
• diaristic and autobiographical images
• pictures of the body
• the use of masks and masquerade
• the return to studio portraiture and the photographic album
• performance, public and private

An illustrated introduction to the book points to the history of the photographic self-portrait from the 1840s to the late twentieth century, providing an invaluable context for the recent surge in artists’ images of themselves.

27.50 x 23.00 cm
Hardback
224pp
332 Illustrations, 288 in colour
First published 2010


€ 36,50