How do you build a portrait? This was a driving question of Amir H. Fallah’s exhibition in Los Angeles last year, when he exhibited a series of whimsical portraits that didn’t depict the actual human subjects, but rather the objects and memories associated with them. 

Some of my favorite pieces published on Hyperallergic over the past year are, in a way, portraits — of artists, communities, and subcultures. A good portrait requires care and investing the time to pay close attention. It can be an act of generosity. 

Below is a collection of pieces that resonated with me. Some set legacies straight, allowing for more nuanced understandings of well-known figures, like James Baldwin. Others resurface ignored legacies, offering colorful portraits of people we should know better, like Rosalba Carriera, known in the 18th century as the Queen of Pastel. Then there are essays about artists who themselves are looking at portraiture in new ways, like Cara Romero, who challenges Native American stereotypes with her photographs. 

Maybe I am drawn to these pieces because they have offered a means to connect with people during an isolating year. They honor the full and complex people that make the art we see.

—Elisa Wouk Almino, Senior Editor