gallery nine5 is pleased to present Undressed, an exhibition of recent works by Jessica Lichtenstein. While studying art history at Yale University, Lichtenstein became fascinated with representations of femininity and the use of eroticism as a narrative device. “I love looking at the way women have been depicted from classic times to modern times- from Botticelli’s rotund figures, to Fragonard’s playful yet overly ornate figures, to Ingres’s elongated Odalisque, to Picasso’s abstract shapely patterns. They all show one theme women and their sexuality yet it is expressed in so many different styles.”

Japanese manga and anime are strong influences on Lichtenstein’s work and serve as vital conduits in her exploration of ‘twisted’ childhoods and lost innocence. Lichtenstein subverts objects synonymous with youth, in order to imbue them with new associations and richer meanings. Citing her rigorous education in art history and classic literature as the most formative influences on her stylistic development, Lichtenstein also draws inspiration from New York’s pervading art scene and her conception of the ‘amorphous and cross-cultural’ nature of contemporary art.

Central to Lichtenstein’s artistic practice is her exploration of the act of viewing. Each of her anime figures is conscious that she is being offered to the audience for examination. The highly stylized poses convey self-awareness and confidence, as Lichtenstein strives to vest each girl with an innate sense of empowerment and shared experience. Each vignette in Lichtenstein’s installations functions as a slate upon which the viewer can project his or her own aspirations and fantasies.

Lichtenstein’s works can be found in private collections in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Nice, Spain, New York, Palm Beach, Beverly Hills, London, Paris and Madrid.