Slog
News & ArtsTuesday, May 5, 2009
Visual Art Erotic Art on a Roll
Posted by Jen Graves on Tue, May 5, 2009 at 11:03 AM
Last week's Chicago Sexpo included an exhibition of 60 years of funny, sad, and generally awesome STD posters, says The Decider.
Also, I've been thinking about Dan's claim that we generally overreact to the badness of erotic art because we don't want to seem too, you know, dirty. What bugs me more is the idea that if you dislike some erotic art, it's necessarily a sign about your sexuality at all. Too much thinking like that is how art that's erotically based gets away with sucking so much.
1
I'm with you. Erotic art is held to a much lower standard than regular ol' art. The pictures from yesterday's tour were kind of embarrassing, not because they were erotic but because they were (mostly) so LAME.
2
I didn't say you couldn't legitimately dislike erotic art, or certain pieces, or blah blah blah. I said that people overreact to the erotic art that they dislike, Jen. Different thing altogether.
3
Those photos from the "erotic art" show make it look even more lame, boring, sad, gross, and creepy than I had thought it would be.
5
It would be super if you'd never show those bugfucker posters again. They are ruin-my-day disgusting.
6
I loved that STD poster, it's gorgeous and genius.
As to erotic art, I think the onus is on the naysayer (or the reviewer) to prove their dislike of the art is from an artistic standpoint and not due to some Puritanical remnants from growing up in America. Comes with the territory.
And I dislike art, and love erotica.
As to erotic art, I think the onus is on the naysayer (or the reviewer) to prove their dislike of the art is from an artistic standpoint and not due to some Puritanical remnants from growing up in America. Comes with the territory.
And I dislike art, and love erotica.
7
@4,
We must both be sick, because I think it's pretty hot too, but maybe I'm distracted by that guy's perfect ass.
We must both be sick, because I think it's pretty hot too, but maybe I'm distracted by that guy's perfect ass.
9
@2
Sort of like freaking out over seeing the side of a Christian breast.
Good for 14 posts.
So far...
Sort of like freaking out over seeing the side of a Christian breast.
Good for 14 posts.
So far...
11
By photos yesterday, do you mean the photos I posted? That was all people/scene stuff... and the coupla of the pieces that I personally got a liked... definitely NOT a fair overview of entire collection that was in the show
13
Interesting artists do amazing erotic work. Great collectors never skip them.
But most erotic art shows seem to put a lot of energy into attracting attendees who simply relish a safe space in which to dress saucily and mouth-breathe in a crowd.
So as the mere pretext for the event, nobody selects or edits the art especially carefully. Not hard to see why lots of artists and art lovers dismiss these shows out of hand.
And I think the one with the scorpion is fucking awesome.
But most erotic art shows seem to put a lot of energy into attracting attendees who simply relish a safe space in which to dress saucily and mouth-breathe in a crowd.
So as the mere pretext for the event, nobody selects or edits the art especially carefully. Not hard to see why lots of artists and art lovers dismiss these shows out of hand.
And I think the one with the scorpion is fucking awesome.
14
Agreed: I feel like erotic art often coasts by on being "edgy" and then holds itself as immune to criticism by declaring naysayers to be "prudes."
It's kind of like criticizing Israel -- They're entitled to their actions due to being victims and if you criticize them you're an Antisemite. It's an unfair double bind that shuts down productive debate.
It's kind of like criticizing Israel -- They're entitled to their actions due to being victims and if you criticize them you're an Antisemite. It's an unfair double bind that shuts down productive debate.
15
Bravo Jen. I love that whenever someone points out Dan's bullshit he immediately claims that you just didn't "get" his point.
16
I could be that good art wells up from tension and a lot of that tension is eroticism contained. Get rid of the shackles and the art goes bad.
17
I think that goes for MOST art. Most art fucking sucks, but if you say that, you're unsophisticated. The worst art? Local art. :-)
18
Yes, Kelly O, those are the photos I was referring to. I agree, it's not representative of the work itself. But I saw a little bit of the work, and I've seen plenty of erotic art over the years, and I stand by my statement that it is held to a lower standard.
19
Fnarf, before you (or anyone else) make(s) a judgment or claim based on past history (an inconsistency) I suggest you take a look at the website for the Seattle Erotic Art Festival, my blog where I feature interviews with my small section of curated artists, and/or wait for documentation of the actual work to appear. Unless you were there, you don't stand in any position to critique.
Everyone's entitled to their opinion, and one's personal life shouldn't be judged based on their opinion. However, I would hope that opinion is based on some kind of inquiry/investigation. Jen suggested people see for themselves. You really should have.
Everyone's entitled to their opinion, and one's personal life shouldn't be judged based on their opinion. However, I would hope that opinion is based on some kind of inquiry/investigation. Jen suggested people see for themselves. You really should have.
21
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod... Sex dreams are supposed to be GOOD! Now I'm going to be having sex nightmares for weeks! I really wish I could hold back, but where are all the "Insex" jokes?
22
@19, fair enough. Prejudging is part of my game, and you are within your rights to call me out on it.
However, I'm looking at your blog now, and while I see some things that I like, I'm not seeing anything erotic about them. Chris Crites's "Breaking and Entering. Theft. Resisting Arrest" for instance, or Jessica Dodge's "Nothing to See".
Why is art "about sex" considered compelling by some but art about cooking, or commuting, or whatever, isn't?
Feel free to dismiss my thoughts; I'm not an art critic by any stretch, nor am I really interested in most art by Westerners or white people these days, so I'm not really in your target audience. Just blowing my horn again.
However, I'm looking at your blog now, and while I see some things that I like, I'm not seeing anything erotic about them. Chris Crites's "Breaking and Entering. Theft. Resisting Arrest" for instance, or Jessica Dodge's "Nothing to See".
Why is art "about sex" considered compelling by some but art about cooking, or commuting, or whatever, isn't?
Feel free to dismiss my thoughts; I'm not an art critic by any stretch, nor am I really interested in most art by Westerners or white people these days, so I'm not really in your target audience. Just blowing my horn again.
23
@18,
I think that's true of any kind of genre work: art, literature, cinema. Any area that has an established fan base that will eat anything up will get away with murder. Add to that the accusation of prudery that @14 pointed out, and you have a recipe for a lot of shitty art.
I think that's true of any kind of genre work: art, literature, cinema. Any area that has an established fan base that will eat anything up will get away with murder. Add to that the accusation of prudery that @14 pointed out, and you have a recipe for a lot of shitty art.
24
4 I liked it, too. The comparison between skin and exoskeleton is great. Smooth and warm against smooth and cold. It doesn't hurt that the man is beautiful, nice arch of the back, either.
27
Well admittedly Fnarf, in my blog I only showed detail shots of the erotic work my artists put in the show, and featured their more well known works which are not erotic -- and that was the point. They were included for the purpose of giving a different perspective on erotic art. We can get naked pictures of people anywhere, can't we?
Blow that horn Fnarf. If nothing else, it gets a conversation going.
Blow that horn Fnarf. If nothing else, it gets a conversation going.
Advertisement
Most Commented on Slog
-
Hating People Doesn't Make Them Thinner by Jen Graves
-
Los Angeles Gay Bar Bans Bachelorette Parties Until Marriage Equality Is Attained by David Schmader
-
Fill in the Blank by Grant Brissey
-
This Reminds Me of the Great Calculator Scare of the Late '70s/Early '80s by David Schmader
-
Idiot Tries to Defend Bigoted Anti-Gay-Marriage Preacher on Anderson Cooper by Paul Constant
-
SL Letter of the Day: Putting It In by Dan Savage
-
Six Moms with Too Much Time on Their Hands and a Shitty Website Decide to Fight Gay Superheroes by Paul Constant
-
Why Mayor McGinn's Wife Canceled Her Family's Seattle Times Subscription by Eli Sanders
-
What the Hell Is Wrong With Seattle's Pride Parade? by Dominic Holden
-
Meet the UW "Swagga Suit" by David Schmader
RSS
Facebook
Twitter
Comments (27) RSS