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The Outwin 2016: American Portraiture Today
When standing before a portrait in the museum, a typically private encounter comes into public view. Whether an artist is creating a visual autobiography, delving deep into a relationship, or getting to know someone, we step into the conversation as well. The triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition encourages artists to bring their stories to the popular imagination through an open call for entries. The forty-three finalists, selected from 2,500 entrants, range from emerging to internationally recognized artists.
Virginia Outwin Boochever, who endowed the competition, believed in the transformative power of portraiture. She was passionate about history and biography, and about the convergence of the two in the art of portrayal. In her intellectual and philanthropic endeavors, including her work as a Portrait Gallery docent, she looked for ways to bring together multiple perspectives.
The artists selected represent excellence in the art of portraiture. They also tackle some of the most pressing topics in the cultural and political realms, including investigations of race and gender, the fragility of childhood in our increasingly complicated world, and the psychological impact of migration. As the artists demonstrate a mastery over their chosen mediums, they express their convictions and reveal the diversity of experiences that connect us -- as individuals, as communities, and as a nation. |