Ahri’s Tease 

"Ahri’s Tease" was made by Stanley Artgerm Lau in the 21st century. This digital painting depicts a woman in a stylized form, her features borrowing from East Asian aesthetics. With fox ears and tails, she embodies a figure from folklore, recast within the visual language of contemporary fantasy art. Images of women like this exist in a complex relationship with the male gaze and are reflective of the growth of digital art in the 21st century. The rise of online gaming culture and social media platforms has influenced the production and distribution of artworks. Artists can bypass traditional institutions such as galleries and museums, engaging directly with audiences through online platforms. But what is the public role of art in such contexts? What happens to the politics of imagery when it is divorced from traditional institutions? These are questions that art historians must ask, using the tools of social and institutional critique to understand better the conditions in which art is made.