Cocktail Hour 

Here we have “Cocktail Hour,” a painting by contemporary Canadian artist Sarah Joncas. Joncas, born in 1986, is a part of a generation of artists who grew up with the internet and are influenced by both traditional art and pop culture. Joncas's paintings often feature young women in surreal and dreamlike settings. In this painting, a woman with a cigarette is posed in front of a neon “Cocktail” sign, wearing lingerie and a red coat. The traditional pin-up is updated through Joncas's depiction of a modern, self-possessed woman, comfortable in her sensuality. Joncas is creating a dialogue with the male gaze. The woman in the painting, while appearing in a state of undress, is in control of the scene and the male gaze is subverted into a celebration of the artist's own identity.