Miss Vixen, ‘What’s New, Pussycat’ c. 1965

Curator: This is LeRoy Neiman's piece, "Miss Vixen, 'What’s New, Pussycat'," dating from around 1965. It appears to be rendered in ink and pen. Editor: It's quite evocative. The simple strokes create such a playfully seductive atmosphere. There's a confident yet almost nonchalant sensuality to this feline figure. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the economy of the line, the material restraint. Neiman wasn’t known for this type of imagery, which tends towards cheesecake and low-brow aesthetics. Yet this particular etching challenges that very categorization. The physical act of putting pen to paper to depict a common image—its simplicity in terms of method allows for nuanced readings on value judgments and aesthetic classification in art production. Editor: The symbolism is pretty overt, though. The title points directly towards the archetype: the teasing "vixen" with an explicitly sexualized pose and feline characteristics. It builds upon a long history of women being represented as cats—sultry, mysterious, and untamable. One also detects a sly wit with its reference to that era. The phrase hints at the idea of constant novelty and how feminine allure became linked with advertising campaigns. Curator: Interesting, especially as it pertains to commodification. You’re reading it as this complex symbol of mid-century notions of beauty and advertising, and I’m viewing it as an examination into low versus high material and process! I was mostly referring to his deviation from known output which, for a long time, categorized his entire output under similar considerations because it was deemed aesthetically subpar compared with that of other high-art figures then making similar representational work! The etching work itself demonstrates such economy in terms of labor—mass consumable product as artistic experimentation. Editor: Well, Neiman was obviously aware of his audience. The seemingly offhand strokes are deliberate choices meant to resonate with contemporary anxieties and fantasies. It reflects—and perpetuates—certain views on gender. That tension is what makes the piece so intriguing. Curator: I find this kind of subversive approach to existing imagery within a popular-culture medium, even more compelling from an economic and labor-driven standpoint because the actual etching isn't some precious object, carefully crafted after months in a dedicated atelier... Editor: And for me, knowing the art historical framework adds so much meaning to what would otherwise seem like a simple sketch. Curator: A provocative dance between material, labor, subject matter. Editor: A concise window into enduring cultural symbols.