Self Portrait with Fried Eggs 1996 by Sarah Lucas © Sarah Lucas.
Armed with an open mind, Kathryn Levey headed down to Liverpool's famous waterfront to expose herself to the powerful work of Sarah Lucas.
It is hard to believe that 13 years have passed since Sarah Lucas both shocked and delighted art audiences and critics with Two Fried Eggs and a Kebab (1992).
Since her explosion onto the art scene Sarah Lucas has become one of the most significant, exciting and controversial British artists. Tate Liverpool acknowledges her importance by presenting this retrospective of her work.
The exhibition runs until January 15 2005 and exhibits art in a range of media (photography, sculpture and drawings), including famous works such as Two Fried Eggs and a Kebab and Eating a Banana (1990) and a new work made for this exhibition, Year of the Rooster (2005).
Year of the Rooster 2005 by Sarah Lucas © Sarah Lucas, Courtesy Sadie Coles HQ, London.
As you enter the exhibition space it is immediately clear that viewing Sarah Lucas’ work is not for anyone squeamish, easily offended or who really loves eggs and poultry. There are an impressive amount of works to scrutinize they’re set out in such a way that allows you to move around them and examine them from all sides.
Although the sculptures are often disparate in their materials and appearance, all the works have one thing in common; they are all concerned with sex.
Throughout her career Lucas has worked hard to create art that challenges gender roles, our perception of sex and of women as sexual objects. One outstanding work is Chuffing Away to Oblivion, a packing case room wallpapered with newspapers with headlines about sex, perverts and naked women.
Au Naturel 1994 by Sarah Lucas © Sarah Lucas.
The headlines draw our attention to the impression of women and their sexuality created by the media. Women are sexual objects to be used and exploited by men. Lucas uses everyday objects and turns them into something that is both repulsive and challenging. She dehumanises the human form and reduces women (and men) to their sexual organs, forcing us to question our own views of sex and gender.
AC Grayling (Sarah Lucas: A Catalogue Raisonne, Tate Publishing October 2005) writes: “Some might say that the chief point of her art is that it is…a vehicle for her dark, distinctive humour, and that if one sees it as trying to persuade us to think differently about the place of sex and sexuality in life, that is just a lucky accident”.
Black and White Bunny #2 1997 by Sarah Lucas © Sarah Lucas.
Perhaps, as is often the case with art exhibitions, a little more explanation or background on the work would enlighten us more about Lucas’ aims and ideas. As it is (without buying a catalogue) we are left to create our own ideas, which could lead some visitors to ask whether this is art and why anyone would want to view works that are often no pleasure to behold.
Overall the exhibition is an admirable retrospective of Lucas’ work and a good introduction to her ideas. However, as noted before her work is graphic and often blunt to the point of being obscene.
Lucas is not an artist who will appeal to everyone and is definitely not for children. Anyone who wants art to be unconventional, to shock and challenge their ideas and wants to be put off kebabs for life should see this exhibition.
