PORNOGRAPHY. The essay from my book …
We describe many depictions of nudity and sex as pornography. The expression has a negative connotation. ‘Decent’ people reject pornography; at least they profess to do so. This is understandable when such depictions involve coercion and violence.
However, to refer to depictions of nudity – or normal sexual activity between consenting adults – in a defamatory way, seems hypocritical; after all sex is an activity we engage in with pleasure. Yet, there is no doubt many such depictions are in poor taste and should be disregarded.
But I find it remarkable that many people are more easily affronted by the display of nakedness or sex than that of violence, including state authorised violence, such as mutilation and killing during war; just as some of us tolerate flagrant antisocial behaviour.
Racism, white-collar crime, fraud and corruption are readily accepted, yet I suspect the bourgeois concern for pornography is a smoke-screen for truly obscene acts, such as arms dealing, politicians’ fearmongering and spin-doctoring, patriotic propaganda and religious brainwashing.
We can ignore pornography; but we are time and again forcibly exposed to true obscenity.
My Erotic Manifesto
Why erotica? Why erotic art? Why Erotic Photoart?
For Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939), the Austrian neurologist and founder of the psychoanalytic school of psychiatry, the libido or eros, the desire for survival, propagation and sex, was the most important motivating force in life.
Richard Holloway, formerly Bishop of Edinburgh, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, Gresham Professor of Divinity, says in his book Between the Monster and the Saint: “The fuck is as fundamental as the fight.” (OK, he says it the other way around, in a different context; same thing, though.)
So, is sex important? You bet it is. What shall we do about it?
Well, one of two things: We may ignore our sex drive and do nothing about it, we even may go so far as to suppressing it (many do, probably for psychological or religious reasons) or we revel in it. I do the latter.
I like sex; always have, always will. I am a follower of tantra: Guiltless, art-ful sex. Not sex for procreation, where women are reproduction facilities – but sex for mutual pleasure. Then sex is a reciprocally joyous occasion, with the tender yet passionate union of a loving couple’s two halves; this is sacred sex – without shame or regret.
Sacred as opposed to religious – with its blame, disgrace and sinfulness. Sex that is celebrated, talked about, written about, depicted – sex that is not taboo.
My Erotic Photoart is sexy, sensual, artistic and adventurous. However, it does test the boundaries between erotic and pornographic. One definition for pornography is: Anything that is arousing – be it words or pictures – is porn; by that definition my work is pornographic.
But the most accepted, most commonplace definition is: Pornography is offensive, derogatory, rude, tacky, demeaning, vulgar, devoid of taste. Then – I believe – my work is not pornographic; but you will have to make up your own mind.
When I look at my work, I am aware of its voyeuristic nature. Tantra acknowledges that when we view the nude body, we gain satisfaction … and in the process indeed become voyeurs. This is an aspect of our nature Erotic Photoart caters for, unashamedly so.
I adore eros, the god of love. Eros – according to Plato – is the creative force that inspires art, literature and the sciences.
Hence Erotic Photoart, a celebration of the nude female body, of beauty and of our sex drive.