Self Portrait as my Uncle Bryan Gregory
Self Portrait as my Uncle Bryan Gregory, 2003
Gillian Wearing (b.1963)
âA great deal of my work is about questioning handed-down truthsâ¦Iâm always trying to find ways of discovering things about people, and in the process discover more about myselfâ.
Is this a conventional portrait of a man?
On closer inspection there is something unnerving about this photograph. The slightly waxy complexion of the skin and the synthetic hair are clues but the eyes are the real give-away.
In her recent series, âAlbumâ,Wearing duplicates images of family members as they appear in old photograph albums. Here, using a prosthetic mask and menâs clothing, she adopts the identity of her Uncle, Bryan Gregory, in a formal 1950âs pose.
By masquerading as members of her family, Wearing explores the impact of the family on an individual, both genetically and psychologically. For many of us, investigating who we are and where we come from is fundamental to our understanding of ourselves, as well as informing our relationships with others.
C-type print mounted on foam board
Purchased through the Contemporary Art Society Special Collection Scheme with Lottery funding from the Arts Council England, 2004
