Portrait artist uses self-portraiture to reflect on identity

Toowoomba Region artist Chris Abrahams has turned the focus on himself in his latest exhibition, Cracking the Mirror Stage, which is on display at Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery until Saturday, April 24.

Abrahams’ solo exhibition explores the concepts of artist, body and self through self-portraiture.

He said his interest in self-portraiture came after a period of introspection and reflection on his identity that caused him to question how the use of the body as a tool expressed the body as self.

“A self-portrait is a way of expressing one’s self, but it also is a way of finding one’s self, or more accurately, a way of creating one’s self,” he said.

By using the mirror as a device and a brush or palette knife as a form of mark-making, Abrahams said he represented ‘self’ through the trace of bodily movements across his chosen material.

He hopes to further engage the viewer’s body through their experience of the exhibition in a gallery setting.

Abrahams is studying his Doctorate of Creative Arts at the University of Southern Queensland.

A practising artist for 30 years, Abrahams is hosting his own ‘Meet the Artist’ day at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery on Saturday, April 10 at 1.30pm.

Residents are invited to meet Abrahams and learn more about his artistic practice and work.

Bookings are essential for capacity numbers. Please RSVP by 5pm tomorrow (April 9) to Council’s Customer Service Centre on 131 872 or email [email protected] 

For more information, please visit, Meet the Artist | Chris Abrahams

Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery, 531 Ruthven Street, is open from 10.30am to 3.30pm Tuesday to Saturday and Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. Admission is free.

Image: Chris ABRAHAMS / Late night strum 2019 / oil on canvas / 30 x 42cm / © Chris Abrahams.