Stewart Fletcher

The evolution in the depiction of the female nude, both in contemporary society and in art history, lies at the heart of Stewart Fletcher’s current creative explorations. The nude figures in his drawings are constructed to varying degrees from observation, memory, and imagination. They are a transcription of impressions from past and present studio sessions, as well as images and other media influences that abound in contemporary society. It is evident to the viewer that, as a highly skilled draftsman, Fletcher has chosen his medium and style very carefully. It is equally clear that the artist loves the female form and is intrigued by the female psyche. He is also astutely aware of the politics of representation and the role that the male gaze and desire play in the creation of both historical and contemporary imagery. He fearlessly and unabashedly pushes some of his current creations past the undeclared representational boundaries through the use of dark humour, satire and the appropriation of low-culture imagery and other contemporary ephemera in an attempt to reconcile society’s never-changing views, expectations and depictions of women in both popular culture and art with the views of women and the models themselves.