Steven Scheffer, 1970s

94cm x 120cm

Medium: Silkscreen Print (Zeefdruk) on Paper, often in a limited color palette (Monochrome Red/Pink and Grey) This striking silkscreen print, Boenen, is a quintessential example of Steven Scheffer’s ability to imbue mundane scenes with distinct psychological and erotic tension. Scheffer, who centered his realistic drawings and paintings around the beauty and attitude of women—often his muses—used his art as a mirror of his own intense life. Boenen is a dynamic and provocative piece that perfectly captures the unique blend of realism, fashion illustration, and underlying eroticism that defined Steven Scheffer’s short but impactful career. The artwork plays with multiple layers of tension: the formal geometry of the room contrasts with the expressive, scratchy lines of the drawing; the vulnerability suggested by the hidden upper body contrasts with the power and assertive fashion of the high-heeled legs; and the industrial quality of the polisher contrasts with the human form. This subject matter—capturing a private or domestic moment with a strong, pop-art graphic sensibility—demonstrates why Scheffer's work remains influential.