Description
Sarah-Jane Szikora (English, 1971 -)
In We Are Not Amused, Sarah-Jane Szikora gives us a monarch not of marble or myth, but of muffins and mild indignation. Seated stiffly in an oversized chair, Queen Elizabeth—rendered in Szikora’s signature rounded, softly exaggerated style—holds a candy cane in one hand, a lonely muffin perched nearby. Her corgis, ever loyal and utterly transfixed, sit obediently at her feet, as if waiting for a royal decree or perhaps just a crumb.
This is monarchy reimagined through the lens of sugar, satire, and slightly surreal charm. The Queen’s expression lives up to the painting’s title—somewhere between dignified disapproval and existential boredom. It’s a face that says, “I’ve seen it all, and none of it was particularly impressive.”
Szikora has a knack for transforming the serious into the silly without ever losing its soul. In We Are Not Amused, tradition and absurdity sit side by side, and the result is both funny and oddly touching. The candy cane—a symbol of holiday cheer and childlike whimsy—feels hilariously out of place in the royal setting, like a misdelivered prop from a Christmas panto. And the muffin? A quiet rebellion, perhaps. Or just a snack. In Szikora’s world, meaning is layered like frosting: sweet on top, but always something deeper underneath.
The corgis are rendered with loving detail—round, attentive, and strangely more emotionally expressive than their royal mistress. They become a kind of audience, mirroring the viewer’s curiosity: what, exactly, has provoked this royal funk? Is it the absurdity of ceremony? The lonely pageantry of power? Or just a slightly stale muffin?
Color-wise, the painting leans into regal tones—deep reds, muted golds, and soft, buttery creams—but nothing here feels too formal or stuffy. Everything is slightly off-kilter, a royal portrait drawn through a funhouse mirror. And yet, the affection is clear. Szikora doesn’t mock the Queen; she humanizes her. This isn’t satire with a sneer—it’s satire with a smile.
We Are Not Amused is classic Szikora: visually charming, quietly subversive, and filled with strange delights. It reminds us that even queens have off days, even traditions can be ridiculous, and sometimes the funniest truths come wrapped in a candy cane.
