October 24 - ­December 6, 2014 @ HAW/CONTEMPORARY

Peregrine Honig's latest collection of large­scale oil paintings transform into backdrops for donor
selfies; self­portraiture destined for digital immortality. With the use of Western religious
iconography to create temporarily mounted parlors and paintings that feature large decorative
rings and central radiations, every sitter becomes contextualized as a saint, royalty, or deity.
Wreaths of flowers crown seated or absent central figures. Occupied or empty, the pieces offer
a curated private space in a public gallery setting.

In line with the evolution of selfies, the portraits created within these paintings assist in the
process of self­glorification. Online the act of self­aggrandizing encompasses many attitudes:
sexual prowess, commercial innocence, postures of strength and power, positions of femininity
and fertility. Similarly, these donor selfies reference the rich history of patrons commissioning
artists to paint them into elaborate and decadent sets. In Honig's collection each sitter has the
power to produce, edit, and digitally publish their own image. With the assistance of a collective
hashtag, visitors take part in creating a contemporary, and constantly evolving, book of hours.