Simon Fujiwara Who's the Lady in the Spanish Hat?, 2024

Simon Fujiwara’s Who’s the Lady in the Spanish Hat? is from his series of works of his original cartoon figure Who the Bær who recreates iconic art works by famous, historically significant artists through their perspective. This work executed in pastel, charcoal, and acrylic on canvas depicts Who the Bær rendered in a cubist style alluding to the work of Pablo Picasso. Set against a divided backdrop of green and blue, Fujiwara transforms Who’s anatomy, which includes their characteristic pink tongue and golden liquid into a cubist composition. The work references the artist’s series of portraits from the late 1930s and early 1940s depicting seated women, who in many cases were romantic partners of the painter. In this case, Who resembles a female figure. With intricate hair and the presence of makeup, the female rendition of Who wears a black, embellished hat with red and blue detailing. However, the style of the work further contributes to highlight the character’s ambiguous identity as seen by the presence of a mustache on Who’s face and the lack of female anatomy present. While the title of the work suggests that the figure is female, it also attests to a feeling of confusion which doubles as a reference to Who’s constant search for identity in a world of images.