Many of today's emerging artists are using portraiture or
self-portraiture to explore complex issues of identity. At the same
time, these artists are also testing the boundaries of the genre of
figurative art. Others are finding success through a renewed attention
to classical training in representational art. Artists who regularly
create portraits on commission are also experiencing a higher level of
interest in their work. The Outwin Boochever Competition 2006 brings
together work that exemplifies these trends. Selected from more than
4,000 entries--from every state in the union--by a jury of experts, the
fifty-one portraits included provide clear evidence of the strength of
portraiture in today's world, and signal the National Portrait Gallery's
increased commitment to contemporary art and today's Americans.