Lisa Penny
"Whilst the male figures I paint are outwardly masculine with ripped bodies and rock-hard ‘guns’, it's questioning what masculinity means today. The figures I paint are almost comic in some ways and often vulnerable."
Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? Where did you study?
I graduated last century - God that sounds so long ago! It was certainly a different scene 25 years ago. I studied in Leeds and knocked around there for a bit, putting on shows with friends, it was fun. The only way to promote it was handing out flyers, like club flyers, it felt illicit at times. There was a great overlap of art and music. My youth was spent in clubs – Back to Basics, Kit Kat Club and Vague, all organised by friends. It was a tight community, lots of creativity and I mucked in. I then moved to London to focus on my work and did my post-grad at Byam Shaw School of Art (CSM). Those experiences have informed my practice. London is still a great place to be, and despite ongoing difficulties, the city always finds a creative path thanks to the tenacity of so many artists.
Can you talk more about your use of found imagery from gay porn, celebrity and Tinder, and how you confront the problematics of anonymity in your work?
Well, the internet offers a lot of images if you search ‘Hot, fit, naked men’, not surprisingly one is presented with hundreds of tight abs and butts irrespective of sexuality; It’s a total flesh fest of muscles and ‘cum gutters’ – for readers unfamiliar with the expression, (Crude but sexy), it’s a term for that rather defined pelvic line on very toned bodies. Despite the urban dictionary reference, you only need to look at depictions of Greek Gods, and a quick spin round the British Museum, to realise ‘cum gutters’ have been admired for centuries. ‘Swiping’ on dating apps provides another way of sourcing contemporary male portraits. The parade of fit bodies is endless, but there’s a different energy to these images.
Many individuals may well feel the pressure to be seen semi- naked on exotic beaches, and therefore desirable. I’m mindful of how I use these screen grabs. I collage and crop these figures to a point none would be recognizable, and therefore remain anonymous. Plus, the fact I haven’t met any of these ‘swipes’ as with celebrities allows me to create a different narrative with the work. I’m slightly in awe of the posturing self-portraits whatever the sexual preference is, and the locations – bathrooms and gyms provide additional material to work from.
How does your fascination with the male form and softening masculinity with subtle accoutrements intersect with contemporary conversations around gender fluidity?
Conversations on gender fluidity have reignited the dialogue on masculinity again for sure. Whilst the male figures I paint are outwardly masculine with ripped bodies and rock-hard ‘guns’, it's questioning what masculinity means today. The figures I paint are almost comic in some ways and often vulnerable. The accoutrements are nothing new in a sense, each decade has shown subversion in how masculinity is perceived. Earrings seem commonplace, and neck chains too. Back in 2020 we all swooned watching Normal People, when Paul Mescal’s character Connell, filled our screens in nothing more than a silver chain. It clearly hit a nerve; worn with such vulnerability. And then I think of the 70’s film Saturday Night Fever, with John Travolta’s character Tony, preening and flexing semi-naked in front of a mirror, adorning his neck with gold chains. You could say this is pure narcissism, but I think it's liberating. These acts alone show men exploring ideas of what masculinity is, it doesn’t have to be toxic.
Your work seems to navigate a fine line between desire and emotional detachment. Can you discuss how you achieve this balance and why it's important to you as an artist?
Distance is needed at some point in the making, and visual decisions have to be made so that the work sits how I want it to. Sometimes being surrounded by portraits of handsome men all day feels a bit overwhelming, I spend hours looking at a pouting mouth, a chiselled jaw or a teasing gaze. I decided with a couple of works I needed a veil, so I painted sunglasses and regained control. Also offsetting the portrait by adding fabric cut outs, creates different picture planes; breaks the narrative and rebalances any emotional attachment. Desire is a powerful emotion and a tool, it fuels the making as I fantasize about the visual material I’m using, though it is very much just fantasy. No different I guess than a teenage crush on someone unattainable. My drawings are a bit like the ones you find in the back of school textbooks. Most of my matches on the dating apps are generally excited by me being an artist, and invariably ask to pose for me, turned on by the idea that I would illuminate their temple of a body. I believe I’m reversing the male gaze, and they're surprisingly compliant to the idea… But I prefer to work with screen grabs as it provides distance from the subject, and I stay in control.
The Lounging Lover, 2021
Dazzling Kevin, 2022
The ABS of Dreams, 2020
Just(cha)in, 2023
Tell us a bit about how you spend your day / studio routine? What is your studio like?
It varies, but coffee is a constant throughout the day. I try to work in natural daylight, as it keeps me sane and I swim at London Fields Lido, which stops the ‘chatter’ that’s going on in my head. I think it’s important to be outside; I like seeing people going about their business, the studio can be a lonely place. However, once I get going, I stay in the zone and focus only on the work. Painting allows me to create a social environment with my figures leaping across the surfaces, it can feel like a party. The painting and making (the stitching) takes a lot of energy so I always seem to leave my studio surfaces in a mess. The floor is covered with tubes of paint, fabric cut outs, printouts of buff men and empty coffee cups. I like to read in the studio, just dipping into all types of literature, such as God’s handbook for Painters – I Paint What I Want to See: Philip Guston, which acts as therapy. I’m currently reading Rules of Attraction by Bret Easton Ellis. He loves a disengaged wealthy college boy and so do I. The novel depicts young male narcissism of the 80’s, I think it’s still relevant.
What artwork have you seen recently that has resonated with you?
A gorgeous painting by Jeffery Camp titled Daffodil (2015), it’s a beautiful, delicate portrait of a naked young man, partially framed by yellow daffodils, his skin glistening in the afternoon sun. I’ve always had a sweet spot for Camp’s paintings, so it was very special to see several of his later works at The Approach Gallery last summer. I’m intrigued by his quirky canvases (they are rarely rectangle), the fragmented brush strokes and a palette so soft and heavenly, you are whisked off to romantic pastures with floaty naked lovers.
I never met Camp (he passed away two years ago) but felt like I knew him through his work and his connection to Suffolk, we both studied at Ipswich School of Art where I did my foundation course many years later.
Is there anything new and exciting in the pipeline you would like to tell us about?
I’m back in the studio working on some new paintings. I did a show earlier this year, which was great, but now I have a bit more time to focus, read and regroup my thoughts and energy. It’s a time for reflection and preparation, with studio visits. I have a trip to Vancouver Island this summer which I’m really excited about, and undoubtedly it will trigger new ideas. I always find time away refreshes the creative mind, the everyday becomes exciting, and your senses heightened. Ten years ago, I spent a month in a very small town called Truth or Consequences in New Mexico. I was on an artist’s retreat, very basic and simple, but it turned out to be a truly profound experience which I try to tap into when things get tough. It is a reminder why I became an artist and to appreciate my surroundings and experiences.
All images are courtesy of the artist
Date of publication: 20/04/23
