“Unveiling Perspectives: A Dialogue with Curatorial Innovators Isa Cruz ’27 and Frank Goodyear”

Co-curated by Isa Cruz ’27 and Frank Goodyear, co-director, Hello Stranger: Artist as Subject in Photographic Portraits since 1900 showcases thirty-five photographs—self-portraits or portraits depicting other artists—that present radically novel ideas about what a portrait could encompass. They emphasize the notion that identity is fluid, bodies are adaptable, and strangeness is universal. The subsequent dialogue with Isa Cruz ’27 and Frank Goodyear, co-director, highlights their curatorial journey and the conceptual evolution of the exhibition. The transcript has been abridged and modified for clarity.

Amanda Skinner (AS): What was the initial motivator behind the exhibition? How did you arrive at this theme of “strangeness”?

Isa Cruz (IC): While initially sifting through the images from the Mixer Collection donation, we observed that the majority featured artists portraying themselves or one another. As we delved deeper into viewing and studying the images, a thematic focus on radical “strangeness” or deviance started to surface. Numerous photographs defy conventional portrait photography, thereby broadening the format’s potential for significance.

The exhibition’s title, “Hello, Stranger,” symbolizes the conflict between familiarity and alienation, and estrangement from oneself or from others. “Hello” is a typical social expression, yet within these photographs, it becomes peculiar. It also hints at the inquiry of what it means to “queer” something and render it subtly bizarre. These artists are celebrating the “strange.”

AS: In that regard, could you elaborate on the inspiration behind some of the exhibition’s design elements?

IC: When selecting the wall hues and typographic styles, we desired something playful that would make the queer aspect prominent. I found myself venturing down a research rabbit hole, pondering questions such as “What constitutes queer design?” and even, “Are there specifically gay fonts?” I sought inspiration from queer designers and archival materials in zines from the late 20th century. Ultimately, we opted for a font for the vinyl titled “Lavender Vision,” which originates from the eponymous lesbian zine. The lavender-colored walls of the gallery also pay homage to lesbian identity.

These nuanced design elements mattered to me as the photographs themselves serve as vital visualizations of communities that have faced significant erasure. Many of the depicted photographers had to escape fascist regimes, and countless photographs were consequently lost. For instance, Ellen Auerbach and Grete Stern, two avant-garde artists who identified as queer and Jewish, were forced to flee Germany following Adolf Hitler’s rise to power and the Nazi Party’s ascent in the 1930s. To me, the exhibition engages with the preservation of such narratives and resists the violent fragmentation and denial surrounding these histories.

Frank Goodyear (FG): While there are best practices in building an exhibition, there are no strict regulations. This is one aspect of the joy found in working within a museum. In organizing an exhibition around this remarkable gift, we had the privilege to scrutinize closely and think inventively about the works in this collection. While sorting through the photographs, we found ourselves particularly drawn to the more “strange” images. We realized, as Isa indicated, that this was more than a mere assortment of self-portraits or portraits of artists. These images reflect on the essence of humanity and what it entails to contend with various powerful forces, many of which are contrary to one’s experience. The gift comprises 238 photographs, and our task was to distill this collection down to 30 to 40 images fitting within the gallery space. The photographs ultimately chosen for the exhibition emerge from Isa’s contemplation of identity, the body, and queerness.

AS: Are there particular concepts you hope the audience will derive from the exhibition?

FG: Traditionally, a portrait is perceived as a reflection of something visually apparent, and the general consensus is that a “successful” portrait faithfully captures that subject. While such images have a place in the world, the artists featured in Hello, Stranger are advocating for innovative interpretations of what a portrait can signify and accomplish. These artists were influenced by various captivating cultural and artistic movements. Consequently, they presented radical new propositions for what an engaging portrait could be, existing beyond traditional confines.

IC: It represents the genre’s expansion—portraiture is incredibly broad and offers numerous possibilities. Specifically, the self-portrait can significantly contribute to the examination of selfhood. These photographs transcend the modern fixation on idealized self-representation. Photography, and particularly photographic self-portraiture, is a means of asserting one’s identity in a society that may not always accept our true selves.

Hello, Stranger: Artist as Subject in Photographic Portraits since 1900 is on display at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art until March 23, 2024.

Amanda Skinner
Assistant Director of Museum Communications