- Venue
- Barbican Arts Centre
- Location
- London
Boldly going where few curators have gone before Marina Wallace, Martin Kemp and Joanne Bernstein ambitiously take on ‘art and sex from antiquity to now.’ They have brought to the Barbican nearly 250 objects spanning 2,000 years of history, all illustrating human sexuality. Some interesting and unexpected insights into the representation of sex are brought into light by observing this conglomerate of works from such a variety of cultures and historical periods.
The exhibition starts out safely with its initial wall text reminding us that ‘sexual reproduction is the process by which we have come into being’ followed by a dramatically shortened version of what was originally a very shocking video piece by Chris Cunningham. Apart from a few blurred boundaries the show is split into two parts with the lower level of the gallery displaying objects and images from antiquity to the 1960’s including Japanese Shunga prints, frescoes from Pompeii, Victorian stereoscopes and Hans Bellmer’s exquisite illustrations of Bataille’s ‘Story of the Eye.’ The upper level enters the territory of 20th Century and contemporary art with artists such as Nan Goldin, Jeff Koons, and Robert Maplethorpe’s ‘X Portfolio’.
Observing the more historical images and objects on the lower floor – most of which were originally intended for private viewing – in a large and crowded gallery was perhaps one of the most revealing aspects of the show. The reactions to the work were deserving of some sort of anthropological study. Some giggled at erotic Japanese prints, while others observed 16th Century drawings with stern hand-to-chin expressions. It was difficult not to become aware of one’s own position as observer. Moving slowly from wall text to object to next object in the museum viewing queue that forms in popular exhibitions I found myself becoming increasingly aware of others. After all there are very few situations in which total strangers would stand less than a foot away from each other and look, together, at explicit sexual imagery.
Saucy photographs by Mister X and images taken from the brothels of classical antiquity were created with the intention to arouse. Yet layers of time and cultural difference act as barriers between the intended audience of these works and myself. The signifiers of these barriers become the subject of investigation allowing one to remain objective when looking at what is in fact very old porn. One can’t help but wonder, what makes a good representation of sex? and search the exhibition for the differences between works that arouse intellectually, aesthetically and physically.
It is clear from ‘Seduced’ that the Western half of the world has nothing on the Eastern half of the world when it comes to erotic imagery. The inclusion of works from India, China and Japan is one of the great strengths of the exhibition. Illustrations from the Kama Sutra and Chinese paintings – while contemporary with works such as ‘The Beautiful Servant (Pointless Resistance)’ by Fragonard – enjoy the greater freedom of expression provided by cultures that more readily accepted sexuality as part of human life.
Until the mid-18th Century Western artists resorted to Greek mythology to create narrative contexts through which erotic themes could be approached. In contrast, the contemporary artists included in the show appear to use sexual imagery to tackle other themes: political, social and psychological. Whereas most of the images and objects on display downstairs are intended to provoke thoughts of a sexual nature, the contemporary work upstairs and works from the 20th Century displayed downstairs are aimed at engaging intellectually, aesthetically and emotionally. It is interesting to consider the contribution of Marquis de Sade toward the psychic connection between sexual libertinism and the philosophical notion of freedom. The Surrealist glorification of his writings, exemplified well by Jean Jacques Lebel’s performance ‘120 Minutes Dedicated to the Divine Marquis’, coupled with their interests in psychology reflects this profound shift in art’s relationship to sex.
Almost a poetic parallel to the research of Dr. Kinsey, Nan Goldin’s ‘Heartbeat’ of 2001, provides the show with an emotional pulse, depicting couples having sex as an experience of deep intimacy in an increasingly impersonal and face-less world. Other highlights upstairs include k r Buxey’s video, ‘Requiem,’ brilliantly contrasted with Andy Warhol’s ‘Blow Job’ as a refreshingly feminine response to the lack of realistic visual representation of the female orgasm.
It is fair to say in this day and age that sex is over-represented. Saucy images are almost unavoidable on the internet, advertising, and music. Yet this only makes a re-evaluation of art’s contribution to the field all the more relevant. For something that without, as Bill Hicks pointed out, 6 billion people would not exist, sex is still a strangely awkward subject.
