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FORUMS
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Ann Rich
Joined:
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02-Sep-2007
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Started On : 08-Aug-2010 at 11:15:30 AM, #Views : 6080
Topic Subject : Shocking Genitalia, A Long Winded Opinion |
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I have the luxury of being a middle-aged, American, woman - not yet senior aged. Often I have kept my opinions and thoughts to myself over the years for the sake of appearing not to rock the social standards I was expected to fill. Some years ago I gave myself permission to speak my mind even when it was contrary to social norms. This is one of those situations ... the stir about a work of art by Jos Karis … that involves the genitalia of men - the phallus specifically. In this case, 100 renderings of 30 phalli (or phalluses).
Shelley Esaak has an article posted on About.com titled, “What is Art”. She has cooked it down to two components. ““Art is form and content" means: All art consists of these two things. Form means (1) the elements of art, (2) the principles of design and (3) the actual, physical materials that the artist has used.” … “Content, now, gets a little more tricky. "Content" is idea-based and means (1) what the artist meant to portray, (2) what the artist actually did portray and (3) how we react, as individuals, to both the intended and actual messages.” In this case it was the reaction on the forum that caught me off guard. I read comments of shock, disapproval, and compliments on technique – albeit an afterthought. The following day, I read a comment in defense on the artist’s work and a call against censorship. I am wondering what exactly the upheaval here is.
I believe most of us here work, or dabble, with the human form. The act of life casting puts us in intimate contact with our human subjects/models/clients. We all work to stay within the comfort levels of ourselves and them. Additionally, and especially, if we are creating these works for profit, we are aware of the social norms in which we peddle our wares and wherein we build our reputations. This is stating the obvious. Social norms are by their very definition are patterns of behavior in a particular group, community, or culture. This forum transcends any one group, community, or culture. Here we are multi-cultural in our pursuit of life casting.
I celebrate Ms. Karis’s work. There is a shock factor to it - given my upbringing. It touches my curiosity, and teases me with the sheer variety of the male form. I would be delighted to be able to see it in person in the Netherlands, and here in America if precautions were taken to warn the unknowing so they may have a choice as to see it or not. That - I believe - is more the crux of the matter, the warning, rather than the actual subject matter and composition. Ms. Karis did state in her text that she was working on “mosaic of tiles in which the erect private parts of men are cast”. She did in fact warn us, and we did have a choice as to whether or not we opened the file.
I respect her for the apology she sent to the forum for having gone “over a line here.” I’m certain she has learned a diplomatic lesson in this somewhere. But it does sting me that we taught her is such a brusque manner.
So … how do we/should we, as an international forum for artists, address the visual presentation of genitalia on this site? Or do we really need to address it?
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