![Two women view public artworks on display at Te Manawa](https://coastalartstrail.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Art-Gallery_P1100273_August_19-800x800.jpg)
Portraiture traps a moment of expression and holds in it place for our contemplation. A good portrait communicates instantly the essence of a person. We have gathered some examples from the Te Manawa collection: from works that show mastery of traditional formal portraiture through to more experimental contemporary works where the artists test the boundaries of how to depict individual identity.