Power Portraits

Effaced Meat Monarch, QEII by Karsh

2024
Metallic chromogenic print
Image size: 850 x 570 mm (h x w)
Edition of 1 (+ an artist’s proof)


Throughout history, power portraits have stood as visual markers of authority, dominance, and prestige. However, for me, the act of effacing these portraits represents a gesture of reclaiming power. When I erase or alter these images, I challenge the narratives of supremacy and control they embody.

Effacing power portraits becomes my symbolic rejection of hierarchical systems or figures. It’s my way of asserting agency. Furthermore, effacing power portraits serves as my resistance against the glorification of oppressive figures or ideologies. It disrupts traditional power dynamics, undermining the perceived legitimacy of those represented. It’s my form of protest against historical injustices, demanding accountability and reconciliation.

In essence, the act of effacing power portraits is my form of visual activism. It’s how I reclaim power by deliberately subverting or destroying symbols that have long been used to assert dominance and control. Through this, I challenge the status quo, prompting critical reflection on who holds power, whose voices are heard, and whose histories are celebrated.