The wrap up

The reason that I offered that background concerning those three events is that it helps me to explain what Benefits Supervisor Sleeping was doing socially and politically when Lucian Freud created it. Lucian Freud had just altered his brushstroke technique before painting this image by swapping his soft brushes for hard brushes that he would cut down to provide realism when drawing the human body. Meaning he wanted the fat rolls and the curves of her body to be seen more precisely than he was previously doing. The object of the image is Sue Tilley who appeared to be sleeping on the couch completely nude. She was an activist for the LGBTQ and was also friends with Leigh Bowery. Leigh Bowery was also a gay activist who owned a nightclub club Taboo that was focused around gays and polysexual identities. The two of them were known for pushing the boundaries of what society would accept which is exactly what this painting represents too. The supervisor appeared to be sleeping nude while also not as skinny as many of the models society was used to seeing. Along with Sue Tilley painted in a position as if when she wakes up she is ready to take on any challenges that come her way. The reason I say this is, that her legs are positioned slightly off the couch looking as if she is ready to stand up quickly if needed. The couch itself is positioned in a forward manner looking as if it is trying to push Tilley off of the couch. Since Tilley is an activist this symbolization has significant meaning because it shows not only through the object herself but from the position of the object and the other objects that Tilley is ready to face whatever is being thrown at her.  The image represents many boundaries it can push in the artistic community. From the change in brushstrokes to making the image curves in the body more definite, to the object herself being known for hanging out with Bowery who is known for his participation in the LGBTQ community.