Photographer / Director Lisa Wiseman is delving into the tensions and connections that define modern identity with her ongoing personal project, Superimposed: a conceptual portrait series that visually explores cultural and ideological binaries. Each image in the series is a composite portrait of two individuals who self-identify in stereotypically opposing ways, such as religious and atheist, or pro-choice and pro-life.
Through this layered approach, Wiseman invites viewers to confront their own assumptions and internal biases. The portraits intentionally blur the boundaries between difference and similarity, creating a visual space where opposites are literally united in a single human form. By titling each portrait with the specific dichotomy represented, she challenges audiences to reflect on the relevance and limitations of identity labels in today’s polarized world.
Wiseman believes that portraiture is inherently collaborative not only between artist and subject, but also with the viewer. “In the act of viewing,” she suggests, “people project their own experiences onto the work, forming impressions of the subjects based on personal context.”
With Superimposed Lisa Wiseman is not only questioning the value of identity-based divisions, but also proposing a quiet alternative: one of empathy, curiosity, and connection. In a time marked by social fragmentation, the project asks whether we might shift from seeing “the other” to recognizing ourselves in one another.
See select images from the project below. For more of Lisa’s work, visit her Workbook portfolio.
Represented by The Gren Group.
Featured image above: Gender
