Lucas SamarasAmerican, 1936–2024Still Life
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “Still Life” now? Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Chicago, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
Lucas Samaras, a versatile artist with roots in Pop Art and Surrealism, has turned the camera on himself since the late 1960s, with the Polaroid, or instant color photograph, his preferred medium. His self-titled AutoPolaroids elevate and reclaim a popular technology and express an obsession with the self—not unlike that unleashed by the advent of camera phones. Samaras enhances his photographs with filters, scratches, manipulation of chemicals, and, as in this example, ink dots to create what he calls “visual excitement.” His work often exposes the artifice of a studio setup, as in this photograph, where he allows viewers a glimpse of the various tools he utilizes to achieve his optical and material alterations.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 1991.988
In the catalog
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — © the artist or rights holder
