Just as a photograph captures a moment for eternity, self portraits act as a diary of hidden fears, joys and other fervent emotions. Artists have long used self portraits as a form of emotional release, whether it was from the torment of a troubled childhood, death of a family member or an inability to adjust to the world. With the use of common metaphors such as colours and symbols artists are able to expose their emotions in a visual sense, leaving themselves open for much criticism about their private lives and mental state. Three artists who have used self portrait as a visual autobiography are James Gleeson, Frida Kahlo and Edvard Munch. Just as a pictures says a thousand words, these artists' paintings tell a story of their lives; often painted as a sense of release.

James Gleeson is an Australian artists renowned for his surrealist paintings. Heavily...