Undressed by Jessica Lichtenstein

A series of erotic figurines by American artist Jessica Lichtenstein is on show at Gallery Nine5 in New York. Called Undressed, the installation displays over 25 semi-nude female characters in a range of scenarios from serving food, to sitting on the toilet, to fighting off miniature soldiers.
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 Ingre’s elongated Odalisque, to Picasso’s abstract sharpest 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. Each vignette in Lichtenstein’s Installation functions as a slate upon which the viewer can project his or her own aspirations and fantasies.