About Artwork

Nina Katchadourian humorously complicates our reverence for art historical tradition in her Lavatory Self-Portraits in the Flemish Style series, part of her larger project entitled “Seat Assignment” (2010-present) where all work is made in-flight. In her portraits, she depicts herself in portraits resembling Dutch paintings of the 15th century using only materials found in airplane bathrooms and working only with her cell phone. This work takes items from a space one furtively and actively spends as little time in as possible and reframes them within a visual context that strongly resonates with a sense of eternal commemoration. Katchadourian wittingly reminds us that regardless of the timelessness to which we aspire, we are all beholden to endure functions and situations that ground us in the here and now (and often with intolerable degrees of discomfort and inconvenience.