Self-portrait workshop with Ju Gosling aka ju90

Recorded Friday 30 January 3-4pm: Digital self-portraits with Ju Gosling aka ju90. Ju presents the digital self-portraits she has taken from 1997 onwards, followed by a discussion with Alison Marchant. This event took place on Zoom as part of the Reflecting Ourselves exhibition.

Ju’s self-portraits include:

  • From Ju's 1997 selfie series in decorated spinal braceMy Not-So-Secret Life as a Cyborg (1997). Thought to be the first selfie series on the internet, Ju documented herself ‘doing disability as performance art’ in a decorated spinal brace. In the late 90s Ju presented this work in the UK and Finland, as well as on Sky TV and at the International Performance Studies conference.
  • Perception I-IV, after Matisse: Backs I-IV (2003/9). Ju became both artist and model in this series of four 2m high light-boxes. Originally funded by the Arts Council’s Innovate fund and shown at Sadlers Wells and the Oval House Café Gallery, it was later remade for DaDaFest and exhibited outside the Bluecoat in Liverpool. It has subsequently been exhibited at the ViewTube by Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2013 and at Trinity Buoy Wharf in 2020.
  • Abnormal 1 (2008). This was the title piece for Ju’s ‘Abnormal’ national touring exhibition (2008-2012), funded by Wellcome Trust and arising from a residency at the National Institute of Medical Research. Other pieces in the show that include self-portraiture and/or autobiographical elements include Abnormal 2 and Please do not touch the art work.
  • Shadow Self-Portraits (2006-2010). Produced as part of Ju’s residency at the National Disability Arts Collection and Archive (NDACA) at Holton Lee in Dorset. These reflect Ju’s interest in land art as well as demonstrating how portraits can be created without identifying the photographer.
  • Platinum Jubilee (2022). Ju responds to the Royal Jubilee while shielding from COVID.

To see more of Ju’s work, visit her website www.ju90.co.uk 

Montage of Ju's self-portraits