Contemporary Family Portrait: The Hidden Uncomfortable Truth of Family Dynamics

This thesis examines the hidden aspect of family dynamic and questions the idealized convention of family portraits. Based on Erving Goffman’s theatrical theory of community, family as a relaxing intimate group in the backstage, the underlying tensions, conflicts, and power play are discussed. This thesis draws upon the familial issues and treatments of Leon J. Saul and Rhee Dong Shick to evaluate the family dynamic present in our domestic settings. As the lineage of family portraits from history changed reflecting the differing family values and uncomfortable truths, the idealized family portraits are re-evaluated and questioned to offer a truer description of our family. Backstage Community: Edge of intimacy and respect We are always surrounded by people and immersed in social relationships. Such diverse relationships between individuals and the society are necessary and interdependent but repressive. As our existence requires the presence of others, Erving Goffman’s The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life describes the dichotomy of our everyday selves. As he applies theatrical language to state the different aspects of social life, he uses the term ‘performance’ to describe our social roles and calls society the ‘front stage’, where one “puts on his show ‘for the benefit of other people’”(Goffman 10). In the front stage, individuals wear an appropriate manner for the audience who observes the performance on stage. Goffman discusses how playing a social role places a character and defines a person. The social roles that each of us play becomes a “collective representation” (Goffman 17).