You Probably Think This Blog is About You

After our friend, R, recently asked a prominent photographer if he could commission a portrait, the photographer asked him, "What do you collect?" I (half-)joked that he should have said, "Images of myself." Vanity and narcissism have always been driving forces in the production and collection of art over the ages, so why not continue in the grand tradition? Is it really so bad to be self-centered if the universe is benefiting? Isn't that actually being kind of altuistic in a way?
Anyway, you all have the opportunity to have your portrait done by an artist that I really like, Futoshi Miyagi. Miyagi completed a project entitled, Strangers, in which he photographed himself with gay men who were strangers, posing in their homes. For his latest project, You Are There in Front of Me, he is taking portraits of people he meets in internet chat rooms via web-cams (one is shown here). This extends the concept of Strangers to people that he has never even met in person, but also plays with the ideas of anonymity on the internet and loss of privacy. I like that he is capturing an electronic image, something that is transient and mundane, and turning it into something tangible, enduring, and precious- all this from accross the globe (he lives in Japan). If you are interested in having your portrait done as part of this project, you can arrange it with Miyagi at futoshi.miyagi@gmail.com.