American painter Lisa Yuskavage’s figures reside in a world of in-betweens. Associated with the re-emergence of the figure in contemporary paintings, the artist cites Giovanni Bellini, Johannes Vermeer and Edgar Degas as sources of inspiration. Utilizing their techniques on color and light, Yuskavage applies an electric, bright lens to her work, bringing these renaissance era methods to modern time. Looking to and working with references from pop culture and art history, the high and lowbrow, the realistic with the abstract, the angelic with the grotesque, Yusavage creates seemingly ordinary yet fantastical landscapes with Lolita like figures. Often partially clothed or nude, they have exaggerated curves, creating a caricature of the female body.  At times, her work has been met with criticism by feminists who believe her distortions of female bodies are anti-women. Instead of defining … Continue reading Between Dualities: The Art of Lisa Yuskavage