Eye to I: Self Portraits from the National Portrait Gallery

Eye to I: Self Portraits from the National Portrait Gallery includes sixty-one works in a wide variety of media.

Drawn from a collection of over 500 self-portraits, Eye to I features 61 works that explore how American artists have chosen to portray themselves since the beginning of the last century. From various points of history, under unique circumstances, and using different tools, all raise important questions about self-reflection and self-perception. Some artists reveal intimate details of their inner lives, while others use the genre to obfuscate their true selves or invent alter egos. Are we seeing mirror images? Or are these portrayals refractions of modern identity that reveal artistry rather than personality?

The tour of just 4 venues will be accompanied by an expanded, fully-illustrated companion book that highlights more than 175 self-portraits from the collection in celebration of the National Portrait Gallery’s 50th Anniversary.