Let's take a look at some descriptions of the exhibition from www.theartblog.org, which we will present here without our usual vulgar commentary because the descriptions are amusing enough on their own:
"The most striking thing about the more than one hundred artworks is how few of them objectify women or suggest a salacious use of the imagery, other than as humorous or ironic commentary; the most egregious exception is Mark Kostabi’s large close-up of a vulva in the pallate of Las Vegas at night."
"Chuck Close’s Untitled Dauguerreotypes (2010), a diptych, is a loving study of what I assume to be the vulva of his beloved...".
"Each of the galleries includes an installation that visitors can enter. Allyson Mitchell’s wonderful and hilarious Hungry Purse; The Vagina Dentata in Late Capitalism at Nolan is a lair formed primarily of riotously-polychrome crochet of the sort recycled by Mike Kelly. The large clitoris above the entry is discretely shielded as one enters by a fringed g-string and the throne opposite is decorated with owls — Athena’s, no doubt. Pendant cages house chipmunks (squirrels?), one of which is visibly lactating."
"Close by is Maureen Connor’s wonderfully-deadpan video, Heads, from The Sixth Sense in which a woman’s thoughts are recorded on her forehead; as she puts on make up she fantasizes she’s Grace Kelly, then when she see’s a young Cary Grant and Paul Newman, she’s fingering her clitoris."
"Peter Saul’s drawing [pictured below], Relax Sonny, says it all concerning male anxiety about women’s bodies."
Is it art, or isn't it?
Richard: "I don't care much for Saul's drawing, but most of this is obviously art and I think the exhibit should allow some of these works, particularly the video about Grace Kelly, to be viewed in private booths as in an 'adult arcade.'"
Chip: "Lactating chipmunks are hilarious. Art."
Dr. C: "There is simply no way that I'm not going to New York for this exhibition."
Check out the article and some more pictures here:
http://theartblog.org/2010/01/reclaiming-women%E2%80%99s-anatomy-the-visible-vagina-at-francis-m-naumann-fine-art-and-david-nolan-gallery/
2 comments:
I normally jump at the phrase "visible vagina", but the descriptions of the art left me, well, scratching my head (pun intended). First, I had to look up "vagina dentata" (and now wish I hadn't) and second, is the recycled crochet of Mike Kelly such a household artistic convention that it's now referenced in descriptions of other obscure art installations about teeth-filled pink gloves? I hope New York finds its way back to art exhibits which fully and joyfully return to objectifying women through a use of salacious imagery!
That sounds like yet another hipster band name!
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