Importance of Association II

Importance of Association II

1997
Artist
Lisa Yuskavage, American, 1962-
Born: Philadelphia, PA
Work Locations: New York, NY
Country
United States
Object
monotype
Medium
monotype on paper
Accession Number
2001.885
Credit Line
Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum
Lisa Yuskavage (American). Importance of Association II. 1997. monotype on paper. Gift from Vicki and Kent Logan to the Collection of the Denver Art Museum. 2001.885.
Dimensions
height: 7 3/4 in, 19.6850 cm; width: 10 in, 25.4000 cm; frame height: 15 1/4 in, 38.7350 cm; frame width: 17 3/8 in, 44.1325 cm; frame depth: 1 1/4 in, 3.1750 cm
Department
Modern and Contemporary Art
Collection
Modern and Contemporary Art

Lisa Yuskavage combines the classical painting techniques of the Renaissance masters with the tawdry content of soft porn, mocking sexual stereotypes of women with grotesque parody and hyperbole. Through the exaggeration of the female anatomy, she exposes the ludicrous and abusive nature of the male fantasy. Her figures are endowed with all the traits of a sexual nymphet. Conventional male sexual desire considers such attributes “assets,” yet from a female perspective, such large breasts may be a burden or curse.  

While sarcastically condemning images of objectified women, her work also hints at a crisis in female subjectivity.  Women, confronted with images in the media that simultaneously preach sexual liberation and sexual exploitation, enter into an ambivalent relationship with their bodies. Yuskavage's work aims to reveal this sexual double standard.

Born in 1962 in Philadelphia, Lisa Yuskavage received her BFA. from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University in 1984 and her MFA. from the Yale University School of Art in 1986. She lives and works in New York. 

Known Provenance
Purchased by Vicki and Kent Logan from The May Gallery/Vail Valley Arts Council, 1998; gifted to the Denver Art Museum, 2016
Exhibition History
  • “Disruption: Works from the Vicki and Kent Logan Collection” — Denver Art Museum, 1/13/2022

Some images in our online collection are at thumbnail size, in accordance with AAMD guidelines, because they are protected by copyright. The Denver Art Museum respects the rights of artists or their representatives who retain the copyright to their work. Other images represent the best photography available and should be used as reference images only. Please complete the Image Rights Request form if you want to request a high resolution image.