Three Standing Nude Women 2
Han Lei
韩磊
Production date
2007
Object Detail
Media
C-type print
Measurements
150 x 126 cm
Notes
Han Lei subverts the tropes of idealised beauty found in western oil paintings of the nude and in classical Chinese novels. Instead, his lens is focused on ordinary women with imperfect bodies who could have just walked off the street and removed their clothing. Reclining in the guise of Manet’s courtesan, Olympia, or standing in a trio reminiscent of Rubens’ Three Graces, adorned with sequined fluffy bunny ears, knee-high socks or Panda slippers, they meet our gaze with disconcerting frankness and a dignity that belies their tacky accoutrements. Their nakedness, in contrast with their unsmiling faces, undercuts any sense of erotic voyeurism, or of cultural superiority. They do not appear vulnerable, but strong.
Accession number
2015.202