Frances Stark

Stark’s works often represent the artist’s studio as a site not only of creation, but also of research, inactivity, boredom and desire. Here she represents herself in deep thought surrounded by images of men, paintings by Sylvia Sleigh and photographs of Henri Matisse with his female models. Stark looks back at stereotypes seen in visual culture, such as the active male artist and passive female model and recasts them from her own perspective. The scene also includes images of her assistant Bobby Jesus, who is often the subject and inspiration for her work.