Mic Moroney explores the life and times of Lucian Freud through his paintings on view this summer at IMMA
There must be no westerner alive who has not been dumbstruck by one of Lucian Freud’s paintings. He is best known for his ‘naked portraits’: his almost transgressional depictions of the bodies of models, friends, family and lovers which he renders so naked, they are animalistic; as if flayed of all accoutrements before Freud’s lidless gaze. Driven by desire, curiosity or fascination, these ‘portraits’ often seem less about the psychology of the sitter than that of the painter. Some are chilling power equations; others exquisitely fond. Then there is the vulgar delicacy of his spectacular 1990s sweetmeats of effulgent flesh, such as his portraits of performance artist Leigh Bowery, or Benefits Supervisor Resting 1994, his painting of Bowery’s friend, Sue Tilley — the large job-centre worker. The hysteric arch of her huge form, braced against the back of a sofa; her great folds and handfuls of voluptuous tissue — all radiate a Bacchanalian or even religious ecstasy
