The artwork, titled “Joan and the Cosmos,” was created by artist Ashley Bickerton in 1996 and is characterized by the Neo-Pop Art movement. This figurative piece features a distinct visual representation that emphasizes both the style and thematic elements typical of its genre.
In the artwork, a figure named Joan is depicted in a crouching position, captured with a high level of realism and detail. Joan, with blonde hair styled in a voluminous manner, is smoking a cigarette from which smoke wisps elegantly upward. She wears a white T-shirt emblazoned with the words “Free Tibet”, which adds a layer of socio-political commentary to the piece. The background is an undistinguished, textured brown, which serves to foreground Joan and focus the viewer’s attention on her form and expression. Her blue-gray feet and hands lend an additional layer of intrigue and slight surrealism to the composition, distinguishing the piece within the Neo-Pop Art movement.
