Albinism Portrait Makes Semifinals of Smithsonian Competition

Posted by Andrew Leibs Jan 27, 2009

Last summer, my good friend Alan Ammann wanted to paint my portrait for the Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.

Alan’s request surprised me: he knows I catalogue our culture’s long history of sensationalizing albinism and he made no secret of wanting to explore the striking shades and contrasts of one of limited color.

I also worried that the top hat, a boxed antique he borrowed from the St. John’s Masonic Lodge in Portsmouth and wanted me to wear for some early digital shots, would distort my image—somewhere between British poet and heavy metal drummer.

I eventually warmed to the experience, however, as I did when Rick Guidotti photographed me for Positive Exposure. My nervousness ebbed with the growing sense of being captured and elevated into art.

Alan’s concept was amazing: his entry consists of two oil portraits and a hand-built viewer. When one looks at the paintings through the viewer, the images merge to form a 3-D, stereoscopic image much like that of an old Viewmaster toy.

Alan’s entry has already made the semifinals; portraits and viewer are being crated and sent on to the next round of judging. If it survives, it will be displayed this fall in the National Portrait Gallery’s triennial competition.

I hope Alan wins, though I already take my hat off to his artistic vision and skill.