Laura Hensser: City Portraits - 16 July until October 2010 - Guildhall Square, Southampton
16 July sees the launch of City Portraits, a major new public artwork organised in association with John Hansard Gallery,
artist Laura Hensser and Paul Sweetman, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, University of Southampton.
Twenty of Southampton's residents agreed to be photographed for a series of full-length, life-sized portraits, which will be installed on banners in and
around the newly refurbished Guildhall Square. These minimal images will portray each participant suspended within the ceaseless activity of the busy
street, secluded within their own space.
The portraits will celebrate the lives of each individual as well as representing the diversity of the city's population.
City Portraits will be the first in a series of events welcoming people into Southampton's new Cultural Quarter.
The artwork is underpinned by Paul Sweetman's research with City Portraits participants exploring the experience and possibilities of representation and
recognition, and issues of ethics and anonymity in sociological research.
City Portraits forms part of the Creative Campus Initiative, a consortium of South East Universities working together in support of the Cultural Olympiad.
Laura Hensser is a Southampton-based artist. In 2009 she was awarded the ARC Award at Aspex
Gallery, Portsmouth and was a recent participant on the NES artist residency program in Iceland.
Creative Campus Initiative is recognised by the London 2012 Inspire programme.
like the sound of this!
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