06 Sep - 04 Oct 2003
35 Heddon Street, London W1
This concise group of eight new works by John Currin introduces still-life subject matter alongside his familiar figurative imagery. A reclining figure recalls his black background nudes of the late 90s, paintings which married the influences of Cranach and Botticelli. At the same time it plays on the foreshortening of Mantegna to celebrate a new ideal of beauty. In the biggest and most elaborate composition, three women of different ages, all based on the artist’s wife, are seen preparing Thanksgiving lunch. Beautifully realised, the vignette affectionately mocks the domestic rituals of the middle class. The scene is elevated by a myriad of art historical references - and what is quite possibly the most lovingly painted turkey in the history of art.