FROM PRINCESSES TO PORN STARS: THE ART of GHADA AMER
Before I get into the art of Ghada Amer, I think it’s important to talk about WHY her work is relevant in today’s society. I think it would be most clearly shown if I was to write the word FACIAL, if you think of anything other than a woman being LUXURIOUSLY pampered, then maybe we can agree that our society has a “problem” with Pornography. Now days PORN is so casually accepted it sent to business associates in emails, has apps available for downloads on cell phones and I-Pads and has even managed to find its way into the mainstream society influencing film and advertising. Need proof, ever watched HBO or heard the word pornofied? Many may feel that it’s no big deal porn is so accepted in our society, I think we have to look at it’s great effects on our society though. Its effect has such an impact because it’s so easily accessible to children, in particular young teens. I am not sure when kids in this day and age are first introduced to pornography, my guess is it’s between 11 and 13 having once heard three thirteen year olds talking about THREE-WAYS on my kids school ground. My daughter was 9 the first time she heard the word porn, I thought it would be safe to let her watching mainstream TV, it didn’t mean anything to her, I heard it clearly though and at some point and time it will register. You might say what’s the big if porn is accepted? Too which I might answer it’s no big deal as long as ALL PARTIES’ sexuality involved is being treated with dignity and respect. Which certainly isn’t the case, as porn gets more extreme and more violent more young woman’s sexuality are exploited. Suddenly young women are under the belief the have to take it up the BUM to show a boy you love them or to gain ones attention. (when I was 14 I was happy to find a Penthouse in the woods or basement or get to third base).
First off I think it has to be understood that the line between pornography and erotica is thin and often blurred. Sexuality and curiosity with it has always perplexed humankind, which leads to the confusion of why SOME porn turns us on while other gives us the feeling of looking at a train wreck. The difference is in the syntax as porn becomes more prevalent the fine art of erotica is getting lost.
For more clarification on the subject matter on the root of the words I went to dictionary.com :
pornography: noun, obscene writings, drawings, photographs, or the like, especially those having little or no artistic merit.
erotica: noun literature or art dealing with sexual love.
That NOTED let’s admit we ALL LOVE SEX and we are often CURIOUS about what happens in another’s bedroom. I will be the FIRST to ADMIT that WATCHING a WOMAN MASTURBATE will put a smile on my face and a glowing feeling in loins any day. Watching a couple HUMP can ALSO be a REAL TURN ON. This is natural and may even steam back to the days we were tribal animals and mated freely. I might even go to say that the longing to have more than one sexual partner at one time is natural. It has to go both ways though cause just as a man might dream of being inside more than one woman at once I am pretty sure a woman fantasizes about two men being inside her at the same time. The words associated with both scenarios as well as the consequences are far different which is why one might repress their sexual desires. That is how we propagated to be the most “powerful” species on the planet. It gets confusing when egos are involved, with a woman’s sexual power is about 1000 times more powerful than a man’s especially in a day and age most people prefer to watch TV rather than keep themselves in optimal performance. Which leads to loss of self-esteem and self-confidence which cannot be replaced by ANY AMOUNT of MONEY NOR any technological gadget created on the market. So what do we do look for things that empower us as the beings we are. There is nothing wrong with that! When it comes to making others feel bad about themselves in order to empower ourselves there is a HUGE PROBLEM. Especially when those effected are half the population of our planet.
Which is where the art of Ghadar Amer comes into play, in this day and age long gone are the words of wisdom of Camille Paglia and Naomi Wolfe. MOST modern feminist voices have either been censored or muted to the point of non-audible meanderings. Even artists like Madonna’s statement about sexuality are written off as simple shock value. Besides these days we have far greater things too fear than inequality like terrorists and people eating bath salts. People have too much to lose to freely speak their minds so rather than take a chance saying the wrong thing we all just eat the slops we are severed and hope our actions aren’t seen as stepping out of line. Another reason why the work of this artist is so important is that POWER of her work DOMINATES the VIEWER. MAKING the OBVIOUS even more BLATANT! Through the use of our societies CURRENT VISUAL LANGUAGE, and RECOGNIZED ICONOGRAPHY IMAGES with a melange of young woman masturbating or ENJOYING their SEXUALITY, she crosses the fine line of EROTICA and PORN using PORN EROTICALLY. CONFRONTING the viewer with works that stimulates their senses, while also RESPECTING the subject matter and leaving the viewer wondering…WTF.
These intense “PAINTINGS” and PRINTS, paintings in lose quotes because of many of her large images are contour figure drawings created through an abstract process of embedding COLORED string in a seemly organic way in layers upon layers to create depth and composition on large canvas. A process that could be viewed as anything other than painting. The canvases stand alone without the impact of the much more subtle images that lay within them. These seemingly non-objective compositions create an ELECTRICLY ALIVE ABSTRACT IMAGE with PUNCH long before the viewer distinguishes the story or message that lays within. Colors dance and move the eyes throughout the works before one realizes one is looking at works of figure. Most compositions are hidden and it takes a moment before one is stuck with the erotic elements. Once those elements are discovered the viewer’s sense are melted by the SEDUCTION of the works. One bows down to images sexuality, humbled by the canvases BEAUTY and POWER. Much like if one was confronted by one of these MUSES as a lover. Elegant images of women being sexually pleased, pleasing themselves and others overwhelm the viewer’s senses. Desires rise as the viewer’s senses are erotically stimulated making it even more difficult for the viewer to break away from the canvas. The COMPLEX process in which these works are created further engages the viewer captivating them in a search for understanding how this artist created the work.
Her prints, some of which where created with R.Frakhondeh, are much more intimate and more easily read. With the use ICONOGRAPHY we are all well indoctrinated with, she subtly makes her political statement. Again young women portrayed in various states of ecstasy are used to turn heads. This time they are joined by the Disney princesses such as Snow White, Princess Jasmine and even the Princess of the sea Ariel. As example in the work called “Princesses” the afore mentioned icons are rendered in outlines like one might find in a coloring book. Colors are haphazardly misapplied creating an almost a childlike sense of play. The princesses are accented with the reoccurring image of a partly naked woman. Her breasts and buttocks showing, her hands moving towards her vagina thus creating an unnerve sense. As images we associate with a young girl’s childhood are sexualized by the thought of a young woman touching herself. We are turned on but kindda feel dirty. We internally question at what age does a young a woman start to move away from the ideal of being a princess and start to long to be seen as a sexual being. At what age is their sexuality accept that or in many cases exploited.
This is where the “problem” with pornography lies. As young children have such direct access to “sexuality” many may not understand that much of what is being shown is actually exploitation and accept it as the NORM. Add technology as a tool they may misconstrue as something that can help them unlock their questions and you can have big problem. So the question becomes how do we ensure our children’s sexual journey is a POSITIVE and SAFE one. If we believe the problems that arise will only effect woman we are wrong. Men and boys are already insecure enough about performance without having to be hung like or “go” like porn stars.
These questions are important especially in a day and age where access to porn is as easy as looking up the lyrics of the latest Lady Gaga song. They become even more relevant as the young celebrities our children look up to, often cross the line while in search of their own sexuality. Ghada’s subject matter is HEAVY and TASTEFULLY DONE. Her Images are COMPELLING and CAPTIVATING even without their erotic edge. Most important in her work are the questions that arise while looking at it. They are ones that need to be addressed as a society. Lets’ face it porn is here to stay. What needs to be addressed is how we will let it impact us. Will we allow our children to grow up going from Princesses to Porn Stars? If not what is option? What else we can offer them to help them develop their own sexuality with confidence? I guess in truth it all comes down to instilling our own values. With works such as the images created by artists such as Ghada Amer confronting us we will have to look DEEP within OURSELVES. I KNOW MY ANSWERS to the questions, WHAT ARE YOURS?
