| This article looks at some xamples of recent paintings y black British artists in relation to postmodern notions of the decentred and fragmented self. If the so called unified self is no onger present in contemporary culture, how are we to nderstand the continuing presence of (self) portraiture and portraiture of selves in contemporary rtworks? The author investigates some of these issues in relation to works by Barbara Walker and Eugene Palmer. She also looks into some of the issues raised by postmodern critiques of otions of subjectivity, the self and agency in relation to artists whose work engages with lived identities and istories of people who are still recognized by themselves and others as members of oppressed social groups. The article concludes by suggesting that although notions of the elf/subjectivity are complex and problematic in the paintings and discourse of these two artists, they do ot conform to postmodern notions of the self, nor do they support arguments or ?the death of the author?. |