With a developing interest in art (particularly paintings) – I decided to visit the Gauguin Portraits at the National Gallery.
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The exhibition specifically looked at Gauguin’s achievement of expanding the parameters of portraiture painting. The entire exhibition was well curated and accompanied by a contrasting two-toned identity that looked incredibly punchy on the museum walls, maps and exhibition guide.
Notably, the painting that stuck with me the most was a Self Portrait with Yellow Christ (prohibited photography). Here, Gauguin affirms his belief that the world can only be perceived from a subjective point of view and that all artists, in effect, only make self-portraits.
This analogy is the reason I found such great interest in the painting. I think there is somewhat of a comparison to be made with the thought process found in design. As designers we are often tasked with a rigorous investigation process to understand as much about a subject matter as possible. The result of this research shapes how we perceive the brief/subject and in effect the way we approach the design process. This perception, in conjunction with our beliefs and understanding of the design world means we’re essentially making ‘design portraits’.
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