Concepts Of Identity: Historical And Contemporary Images And Portraits Of Self And Family - Hardcover

Hoffman, Katherine

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0064333329 ISBN 13: 9780064333320

Publisher: Westview Press, 1996

Synopsis

Concepts of identity are complex and changing, and in this book Katherine Hoffman examines images of individuals and families from ancient Egypt to the present—more than two thirds of the book covers the twentieth century. Through a comprehensive study of paintings, sculpture, photography, film, television, and other media, Hoffman provides eye-opening insights on the identity of family and self through time and explores what these images say about the attitudes and values of a particular culture.Concepts of identity and self as individuals and families are complex and changing, but images from the artist, the photographer, the filmmaker, and TV producer can help us discover where we came from, who we are and why, and where we are in the maze of postmodern life. Katherine Hoffman explores portraits and images from ancient Egypt to the present—more than two-thirds of the book covers the twentieth century, including images from art, photography, film, TV, and other media. The 75 illustrations are integrated with the text.

About this title

Review:

Concepts of Identity attempts to expose the fault lines that lie beneath the current debate over definitions of "family" and "family values" by laying out the visual history of family portraits. Katherine Hoffman shows the power that representative images have to define the operative concepts of family, as well as the visual record they create of how families choose to see themselves. Reaching back to ancient Egypt and the Renaissance, though decisively tied to the 20th century, Hoffman directs a critical gaze on familiar pictures, exposing the potential family portraits have to shape our conceptions of family life.

About the Author:

Katherine Hoffman teaches modern and contemporary art and art history at St. Anselm College, Manchester, New Hampshire, where she is chairperson of the Department of Fine Arts.

About this edition

• Publisher: Westview Press
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0064333329
• ISBN 13: 9780064333320
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288