So this is what i have been working on with Craig Yoe for the last few months!
Here is a little summary of what the exhibition is about:
From simple titillation to hardcore representations, comics have a long history of incorporating humor, scandal, fantasy and fun with sex. Originally used as a form of amusement and satire intended for adults, the societal perception of comics as wholesome entertainment geared toward children has made the inclusion of sexual content particularly jarring for portions of the general public.
In recent years, comics have transformed from entertainment to a potent and dynamic form of art, at times subversive, and worthy of academic investigation. Through the fusion of text and images, sex comics can tell a humorous erotic narrative with the use of familiar icons as well as construct sexual encounters, acts and personas that cannot exist in reality, constrained only by the illustrator’s imagination. For some, even the creation of erotic comics is a sexual experience, particularly if the sexual fantasy is in some way inaccessible in reality. As Tom of Finland famously said, “If I don’t have an erection when I’m doing a drawing, I know it’s no good.” Whether produced as an individual work of art or mass produced, comics are a reflection of society and sexual fantasy where every sexual act that can be performed or imagined can exist.
In showcasing the coquettish to the most sexually explicit “dirty drawings,” Comics Stripped will examine the history and cultural significance of the images, icons and illustrators that have entertained, educated (as well as equally misinformed) on the basics of sex and created a realm of sexual fantasy unlimited by the constraints of reality for generations.
More photos and press to come!