Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
Sarah Lucas is a contemporary British artist known for satirical and often crudely sexual assemblages and photographs. Although she is often celebrated for this brazen imagery, this essay investigates the stark contradictions found between her statements and her work, particularly in contrasting her claims of originality with her similarities to the work of such artists as Louise Bourgeois and Marcel Duchamp. Through analyzing interviews and comparing her work with that of other famous artists throughout modern history, it posits that her strategy entails the purposeful imitation of a variety of inconsistent styles. Her work questions the idea of originality itself in the contemporary art world; in turn, the viewer may ask if her act of imitation becomes a work of art in itself.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Vittorio Colaizzi
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Disciplines
Contemporary Art
Session Title
Art History 2 Presentations
Location
Learning Commons @ Perry Library, Room 1306
Start Date
2-3-2018 10:15 AM
End Date
2-3-2018 11:15 AM
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Included in
The Problem of Originality in the Work of Sarah Lucas
Learning Commons @ Perry Library, Room 1306
Sarah Lucas is a contemporary British artist known for satirical and often crudely sexual assemblages and photographs. Although she is often celebrated for this brazen imagery, this essay investigates the stark contradictions found between her statements and her work, particularly in contrasting her claims of originality with her similarities to the work of such artists as Louise Bourgeois and Marcel Duchamp. Through analyzing interviews and comparing her work with that of other famous artists throughout modern history, it posits that her strategy entails the purposeful imitation of a variety of inconsistent styles. Her work questions the idea of originality itself in the contemporary art world; in turn, the viewer may ask if her act of imitation becomes a work of art in itself.
Comments
PDF of Powerpoint presentation. Final paper is also attached as an Additional File below.