Self Portrait by Robert Mercer

Through the process of reshaping and re-evaluating a collection of photographic imagery Robert has attempted to negotiate a place and cultural identity of a diasporic person: a person who has moved between people, cultures and landscapes.

Drawing on his personal experience of moving from his homeland, and his rich engagement with Indigenous communities, his work continues to evolve experimentaly.

Speaking of his practice Robert states “It is the allegorical nature of reading a text through another that is a central aspect of my art practice.”

To create this work, Robert Mercer rephotographed an early self-portrait with a Polaroid camera. During the very short development period, the soft film is manipulated and drawn into using various tools, including found objects. It’s then scanned and enlarged digitally for print.

In this way, the final sef portrait is unpredictable, and impossible to replicate. The image is unsettling as we see Robert’s face dissolving in front of us. Sections of his face are disappearing and the rich and accidental texture seems to be corroding. But there is also a resolve in the sitter’s eyes as he stares directly out of the frame. This state of movement and flux is a condition that he will resolutely exist through. The vibrant pinks and golds of the image add to the intensity and drama of the work.