The face is one of the oldest and earliest forms of imagery produced by humankind. From the Paleolithic cave paintings at Chauvet to the modern yellow smiley face, artists have long used the most basic visage to articulate the struggles of the human condition. Spanning centuries and cultures, this selection of portraits and figurative works from the Tufts University Permanent Collection highlights a cohort of artists that explore the form of portraiture as a means to understand the complexity of identity and contemporary life.
The artworks on view near the Tisch Library lobby galvanize conversations on such intersecting themes as race, beauty, individuality, sexuality, objectification, and commodification. All showcase the diversity of views and means with which artists portray identity, and how the very notion of identity intersects with every facet of modern life.
Organized by Isabelle Bohling (MA'24) and Sofia Mondragon (MA '25), Tufts University Art Galleries Graduate Fellows.
