This self-portrait is inspired in the strict guidelines of the photographs required for the US immigration visas and green card1. I remember reading the instructions and obsessing over them when I was first applying for the green card lottery years ago.
The design is based on the actual template that the US government has on their website.
I added a few more guides to the original. All my illustrations are heavily based on basic, geometric shapes, so the US guidelines were a perfect fit. At some point I even thought about doing an extreme version of the template with dozens of guides to reproduce the inner geometry of the self-portrait as it can be seen in the wireframe version:
Last night we had a show and this artwork was there, and so was I. Here is this (meta)photo to add to the list of different levels of representation and symbols of symbols.
- Here’s an extract of the: Green Card Application Photograph And Head Size Specifications
Your photo is a vital part of your Green Card application.
You must submit two identical color photographs of yourself taken within the last 6 months of the filing of this application. The image must be in the Joint Photographic Experts Group format. The face must be square to the camera with a neutral expression, neither frowning nor smiling, with the mouth closed. To learn more, review the guidelines on how to provide a suitable photo.
Please be advised that Failure to comply with any of the following requirements may result in disqualification.”
