Her Majesty 

Lucia Heffernan’s painting, *Her Majesty*, presents us with an unusual portrait, its texture and colour immediately inviting both curiosity and amusement. The artist combines human and animal forms, creating a composition that prompts a re-evaluation of portraiture and representation. The subject, a chicken, is adorned in attire reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth II. The textures of the chicken’s feathers contrast with the smooth, polished surfaces of her accessories. This contrast extends beyond the visual, challenging our understanding of dignity, status, and identity through a carnivalesque inversion of power structures. The painting uses familiar symbols – the hat, the pearls, the corgi – to create a dialogue between the absurd and the conventional. This interplay raises questions about how we construct meaning and value through visual signs. Heffernan's work invites us to consider the instability of these signs and the potential for re-interpretation, reflecting a postmodern sensibility towards art and representation.