Sarah Lucas: Good Muse

Sarah Lucas has gained notoriety for creating sculptures and installations that showcase the innate crudeness of stereotypical conceptions of gender and sexuality. From the outset, Lucas has used self-portraiture to debunk conservative notions of femininity, adopting stances associated with male behavior that purposefully foster sexual ambiguity. Lucas’s penchant for androgyny has also filtered into her sculpture, with bodies that flaunt both male and female attitudes and attributes and deny any clear association with either. 

In conjunction with Auguste Rodin: The Centenary Installation, the Legion of Honor has invited Lucas to bring a contemporary perspective to our understanding and appreciation of Rodin. Purposefully confrontational in its allusions to sexual acts, both verbal and physical, her work highlights Rodin’s erotic side, albeit confronting his idealizing male gaze with work that takes a demonstrative stance against female objectification and for the empowerment of woman.

Many of the works by Rodin included in The Centenary Installation will remain on view during Lucas's installation.