Eroticism

Been thinking on boundaries of all sorts, some good and some not so good but this introspection did, amongst other realizations, bring me to a, what i believe is a better and more profound understanding of what constitutes eroticism in art.

Like what does erotic mean? To my mind, it says what is acceptable in " legitimate society ". It's a representation, a boundary or rather the space between obscenity ( porn ) and the aesthetic high art. For me, it's anything but extremes, it's anything but opposites. I wonder why it is that sexuality is perceived as outside human society, outside of human activities or taboo. Why do we hide and decry our sexualities, turn them into vileness. 

The erotic seems to have been placed at the juncture of these competing categories of High art and pornography. Of course, how we define eroticism is to one's own view and acceptance of sexuality. I think that eroticism is also how we as people, can live vicariously through that art which depicts sexual activities, either openly or in a less obvious way. As i can see, both the erotic and pornography have certain common bonds, so how to tell ?

Is an erect penis porno or erotic art ? Well, the erection in itself speaks of arousal and active sexuality. On the other hand, it is also simply a suggestion of things to come or not, it is a view of sexuality without the before and after, the reality of it as it were. Mind you, i've not a clue why i am mentioning penises being a lesbian, but hey, it's what came to mind as an example, hehehe.

So is sexual arousal porn?, obscenity ? Or is it a form of identification of the viewer with the action which then would be eroticism.

Erotic art, for me, is an expression of my freedom to be sexual, it speaks to mental wellness. I want to say through my erotic art that it's perfectly fine to reclaim this sexuality of ours as we have other freedoms and rights. I truly think that sexuality should be visible and open in every aspect of culture and society, of course without harm to anyone not desiring it.

Today we have LGBT rights fought for and in some form, attained or in progress, same with women's rights though much still needs to be done in that arena. As a feminist woman, i do denounce the pornography that harms women, that brings them down and attempts to objectify them. The pornography that seeks to so visually and violently expose every nook and cranny of females. For me, pornography is the oppression of women and their bodies. If a work of art turns women's bodies into what men want them to look like then that is obscene because of the spirit of it's intention which becomes manifest visually.

Though i do call myself feminist, i will not make any attempt to delineate or create or enable blanket terms other than what i've said in the above paragraph. To make and try to enforce, to make that distinction between what is acceptable and unacceptable is not my role as an artist or as a feminist. Maybe if we, females and women, have more say about our bodies within the context and discourse of art and pornography, we could then see a new day where freedom from oppression and violence is a natural occurrence of societal and culture life. I think, at least for myself as a woman, it is vital for me to explore and speak my view about the female erotic and i encourage all my sisters to give free reign ( without harm ) to their sexualities and sense of love and healthy enjoyment of their bodies.

in erotic thoughts,

Circe