The Argentinian painter Melisa Calabria sits down to explain the importance of painting self-portraits. Beyond supplying a free and patient model, Calabria perceives self-portraits as an “excuse” that allows you to depict archetypal situations. Instead of indicating egocentrism, she sees this genre as an opportunity to discover the eternal in all your models.
00:50 Introducing the guest
01:26 The self-portrait: does it have to look like yourself?
03:59 Workshops in Argentina and studying with Ricardo Celma
09:38 Painting self-portraits at the Nerdrum Studio
13:49 Archetypal imagery and using from your own experience
20:30 Getting the likeness is like learning to ride a bicycle
24:03 Rembrandt and the three levels of the self-portrait
32:40 Using yourself as a model to tell a story
35:16 Rembrandt’s Self-Portrait as Zeuxis Laughing
41:05 The absurdity of being a court painter in modern times
42:08 Nature is the universal language
43:29 How much can you deviate from the likeness?
46:59 Selecting a focus to emphasize the story
52:19 Rembrandt’s development as a painter
54:25 Who you are, what you want, and where you want to be
The conversation was produced by Bork S. Nerdrum and assisted by Alastair Blain.
The centerpiece was a self-portrait by Melisa Calabria.
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