Question 1

The artist, Sarah Lucas, is depicted in Self Portrait with Fried Eggs, 1996. 
An artist may want to create a self portrait to depict how they believe others to see them, how they see themselves, to communicate their personal opinions, or as the ultimate artistic challenge.
Sarah, the subject, appears relaxed though not submissive. Her kicked out foot and somewhat aggressive facial expression looking into the camera lens seems territorial and rebellious. Her clothing depicts the decade of the photograph. Masculine industrial platform shoes, high-waisted distressed cropped blue jeans, and a body-skimming  crew neck T-shirt create a 90’s minimalist look with her boyishly cropped hair.
The discarded cigarette box as well as her belongings or trash scattered across the floor echoes the territorial feeling in this portrait. The fried eggs themselves look retro against the black and white checker board flooring. Though, being slapped onto her shirt, perhaps as a mockery of femininity and/or sexuality, creates something I find quite repelling.
Photography is a very raw medium. Appropriate for this style of photograph in which nothing is romanticized. I think that by choosing this medium it portrays a brutally honest account which many artists value. And perhaps further explore unorthodox ideas in art.

Accepted Answer

Great analysis, thanks for chiming in -- I'm inclined to agree with you about photography being a particularly "honest" medium, and I think Sarah Lucas's image here is a powerful example of that.

Question 2

In my analysis of _Self Portrait with Fried Eggs_ by the artist Sarah Lucas I will address three main aspects: *Subject*, *Composition*, and *Medium*.

*Subject*: This is titled as a self portrait, so as far as "Who is being depicted?" I would imagine it is the artist herself. Secondly, I imagine that since this artist is in fact taking a picture of herself she is trying to convey how she is seen by others or perhaps is touching on the objectification of the female body in the eyes of others.

*Composition*: The artist is looking straight at the viewer in this photograph and seems to engage in a almost _forceful_ manner. Almost as if to say "you cannot ignore me." I find the image to be an uncomfortable one and I think part of it has to do with the uncomfortable feeling I would get from having fried eggs resting on me in such a manner. I would feel sticky and uncomfortable and I imagine that this is the sort of feeling that the artist might have when she feels objectified by an audience or an onlooker?

*Medium*: Lastly I observe that the artist is using the medium of photography. This medium leaves nothing to the artists hand to be created from scratch as it must all be _captured_ and thus placed in view very deliberately. Thus, nothing is accidental in terms of how this artist positioned her legs as open and her breasts as covered in eggs to perhaps convey a certain level of vulnerability on both counts.

Accepted Answer

I think the photo, and that is the medium, is meant to be in your face. The artist is portraying herself in a certain light, as a bad girl type with a strong sexual innuendo as evident by the sprawl and the eggs on her breasts. She takes up most of the photo and her left leg seems to be serving as a leading line up her body. There also seems to be a pack of cigarettes and an ashtray on the floor next to her, contributing to the image of decadence. I am not sure what the black and white tiles convey.

Question 3

Image: Sarah Lucas, self portrait with fried eggs, 1996

Observing the image, the first word that comes to mind is; insecurities 
as a female the placement of the eggs may symbolise an area that feeds on insecurity (flat chest/fried eggs)
The posture appears very open, maybe the artist is allowing herself to be vulnerable - to be seen as she see's herself (legs open)

Both of these points appear not very feminine, however her strong gaze and facial expression along with relaxed shoulders and arms tells me that this is intentional. Maybe this artist often feels masculine...

The black and white square flooring shows me social expectation of fitting into a box with no grey area or curves for difference.
The artist looking straight at the viewer tells us she knows this and knows she will be judged in this way - but maybe she is judging (herself and/or the viewer) too.

The artist is obviously the focal point of this photograph, surrounded and covered in suggestion.
It is left for the viewer to complete this piece with their own perception.
photography allows for no preconceived ideas of an artist, it mearly captures what is, making it the perfect medium for this piece.

Accepted Answer

Great observations, Vanessa. I think it's easy to see this photograph as quite bold, but I like that you see some of these qualities as actually exploring a sense of insecurity. I love the idea that the artist is a figure of blurred boundaries and difference, jarring against the black and white boxes of social expectations.

And the notion that photography "allows for no preconceived ideas of an artist" is excellent -- which yes, makes it a very good medium for this kind of exploration. Thank you for sharing your thoughtful analysis with us.

Question 4

Some thoughts:

I find this a very strong picture - my first impression is that a kind of rebellion is happening here when it comes to identifying one self as a woman, as a female artist. The shoes, the jeans, the body language - none of these could be described as "typical female" at the first look, there is a mark under one eye which makes here look like she's been recently in a fight. If she wore an ordinary t-shirt, I would say that she tries as much as possible to pose like a man, to embrace her masculine side.
But fried eggs on top of an ordinary shirt open a different debate. As those eggs are the center of attention, it is hard not to reduce the picture to them. For me the seem to yell "Take that society", since there still is a huge difference in how to dress and what to show: Flattering neckline, lots of skin? No problem! The actual bust? Scandal! Suddenly as a contrast to the strong pose, she appears vulnerable, even naked though fully clothed. But why fried eggs? On the one side she could have sat there topless or use pictures of breasts or paint. First, the shape suggests them being a label, something that has no connection whatsoever with her actual self - there is nothing "real" about them - maybe it means that there is no way to connect those two side: Being female and being a fighter is not what society expected. Then, of course, fried eggs are something "made", a homemade meal, with only one task - to be eaten. You can't really do anything else with fried eggs and maybe this is the reason why there is a certain vulnerability to the picture: The consumption of those fried eggs is the next logical step.

Accepted Answer

There is a derogatory phrase in French to describe the breasts of flat-chested (and therefore unattractive) women as 'les oeufs sur le plat' which this image directly confronts. Sarah Lucas sits facing and gazing at the viewer, in a very androgynous way - her clothes, her bodily habitus, her pose, the pack of cigarettes, and therefore might be the sort of 'lad' who would make remarks about the size of womens' breasts. But with the fried eggs on her chest she  makes it very clear that she is a woman, and a woman who is not ashamed of her breasts. The message that she gives is that she is not to be messed with, even though she is a woman and therefore might be the butt of remarks about fried eggs on plates. I like this image very much.

Question 5

I think there's a pressure, that every artist SHOULD make a self portrait.. or at least one. Sometime in the 20th century art started to deal with humour so maybe a not so bloody serious self portrait is a good connection to art history and your individualism.
Maybe they think your breasts are just like fried eggs. I think its like self criticism and sense of humour.
Composition. This is not a portrait. Like... classical. Not.
Medium: It's twenty-fifteen and lomography is still in! Classic choices are chic.

Accepted Answer

The subject of the picture is the artist herself. Self-portraits can be used in various ways, from portraying herself as she sees her to even portraying how society perceives her as a woman or as an artist.

I think that with her work, S.L. Is making a comment on how women are perceived in society and what their main roles are. The fried eggs on her chest represent her breast and actually to me served as a hint that the person was a woman, not a man, since S.L. choose a quite androgynous look. She might make a parallel to the fact that women are perceived as wives, mothers and bearers of eroticism, however from her pose, attitude and  determined gaze to me she is saying - you might want me to look girlie, make breakfast and clean the house but this is what you get:  I know who I am, I know what I want, and if its a sunny-side up you crave for, this is the only way I am giving it to you.

The subject faces the camera straight forward, looks directly to the viewer (denotes confidence) without seeming to care about judgement. She adopts a "masculine" pose and even the outfit might mislead one that it is a man we are looking at, not a woman. The same atmosphere of indifference is also suggested by an apparent chaotic composition, where the artist did not carefully picked and laid out the decor. The only thing that really matters is her, in the middle of the scene, close to the viewer but far enough to be fully seen.

One last idea looking at the photograph is that it might be a comment on female artist status in the world of art, how they must embody male characteristics in order to be given attention - So Sarah Lucas uses the symbolism of the egg to remind everyone - I am a woman, and I choose to be who I am, not who you want me to be. 
I observe I can not decide for one interpretation of this piece - is she using the self-portrait to explain herself, or women status, or perception of women in society?  Maybe all of them, maybe none. Whatever it is, the photograph is very blunt and very straigh-forward and Sarah Lucas is sending me a message of determination and confidence. She invites me to look at her and form my idea about her. She want me to get to know her and deliberate on what she has got to say.

Course: Tate > Unit 3

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