Fascinated by the mass-production and fetishization of hyper-sexualized Japanese figurines, Lichtenstein manipulates the presentation and context of mass-produced anime dolls in order to imbue them with new associations and richer meanings.

Originally lifeless figurines packaged alongside hundreds of identical toys, the dolls emerge from their boxes and are placed in real-world situations by the artist, from shopping, cooking or gardening, to looking at art or enjoying a cocktail. Each girl is given specifically Western accoutrements: designer shoes and bags, bottles of champagne, shelves of nail polishes, expensive Italian luggage, and chess pieces.

Lichtenstein uses the figurines to explore female sexuality and the use of eroticism as a narrative device. Each of her anime figures is conscious that she is being offered to the audience for examination. The highly stylized poses convey self-awareness and confidence, as Lichtenstein strives to vest each girl with an innate sense of empowerment and shared experience. Every vignette in Lichtenstein’s installations functions as a slate upon which the viewer can project his or her own aspirations and fantasies.