The ‘Self” & The ‘Other’ - Contemporary & 19th century analogue photography processes

Ian Phillips McLaren (b. 1960) is a British contemporary artist, his varied practice combines contemporary and 19th century photographic processes, video, sculpture, performance and animation.

His body of work examines dementia as a state of being, memory, personal identity and the construction of self in our visual culture, portraiture and self-representation.

Ian’s current work, The ‘Self’ & The ‘Other’ is an exploration of the ‘Self’ through the lens of ancient Roman portraiture – The ‘Other’ referring to the ways in which identities are formed.

“By combining traditional 5×4 inch analogue paper negatives of my self with hybrid digital negatives of ancient Roman portraits and fragments, I’m re-imagining the historical self-portrait, in a similar vein to how the Romans re-imagined (Hellenistic) Greek art for their own purposes”.

The ‘Self’ & The ‘Other’

The ‘Self’ & The ‘Other’ series is an exploration of the ‘Self’ through the lens of ancient Roman portraiture – The ‘Other’ referring to the ways in which identities are formed.

This period was significant for portraiture, with the beginning of abstract and hybrid forms, new value systems creating a new self-image within the Roman classes while looking at others to understand the construction and representation of our own self.

By combining traditional 5″x4″ analogue paper negatives of my self with hybrid digital negatives of ancient Roman portraits and fragments, I’m re-imagining the historical self-portrait, in a similar vein to how the Romans re-imagined (Hellenistic) Greek art for their own purposes.

Picasso and De Chirico looked to Roman and Greek art and many classical ideas as a way of understanding the uncertainties of their contemporary world. Today, it’s a way for me to understand human psychology and the construction of the ‘Self’ in self-portraiture.

Fine art prints
Most of the images on this website can be purchased as a fine art prints. Email me for details, if you can’t find your image in the shop.