Seeing that Kylie Jenner’s end-of-2015 Interview Magazine photo-spread paid homage to the infamous Allen Jones erotic trio of sculptures, “Hatstand, Table and Chair” there is no denying the influence of erotic art-even older erotic art-on our current culture. And these days with the term “erotic art” encompassing a full range of media, from sculpture to sketch, comic pages and video installations, couture, anime and even recordings of music and recitations, there is as much stuff that could be considered erotic art, as there are as many places to see and buy the stuff.
What is it? It’s impossible define objectively what makes something erotic, as it is to determine what is or is not art. Frescoes of erect citizens on the walls of ancient Pompeii walls that survived Vesuvius’s explosion are regarded as ‘hot’ as just released Japanese submissive school girl anime. Some connoisseurs enjoy only one artist, type or era of production of pieces, while others determine their connection to a naughty sketch, a written passage or a sculpture by the tickle it gives them on repeated viewings. The Creators Project website amassed a “Best of” list of erotic art for 2015 here: you’ll no doubt find some stuff to your liking, while others might not even mark a passing notice.
Where to buy it? Berlin-based online auction house Auctionata presented its first sale of all erotica at the end of this past summer and the Barneby’s website keeps a consistently updated list of erotic art https://www.barnebys.co.uk/auctions/erotic.html. Many of the great museums in the world that exhibit erotic art, well-outfitted places in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris and The Erotic Heritage Museum-all making up the “World Erotic Art Consortium”-as much sell some of their wares as display them. And then of course there are thousands of art galleries across the world that show/sell erotic pieces, as well as private collectors who trade and sell across their own networks.
Where to see it? As mentioned above, there are plenty of museums, galleries and even adult sex shops showing erotic art. In the case of art or history museums, or even those museums dedicated only to sex, permanent installations sit right alongside exhibits brought it for a finite amount of time. When museums share and swap exhibits-as the EHM does-certainly a great many more people get to see the erotic art as it makes appearances often around the globe. A gallery will often see a decidedly quicker turn-around as their displays are usually set-up almost exclusively for sale.
In the end erotic art is alive and well, out there for anyone to see, collect, buy or even inspire the patron to try their own hand at creating a masterpiece all their own.
-RG
