Reviews of books on the Erotic Arts, Fiction, Art Theory, Debate and Techniques.
If you have a book you would like reviewing email details to admin@associationoferoticartists.org.uk
*Review Star Ratings System explained at foot of page.
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Lured by Lust by Tania Picarda. Published by Black Lace. ISBN-13: 978-0352341761 Lured by Lust starts off strong and hot as Clara, our protagonist, sits perspiring at her desk at work. But, is the heat she feels due to the stifling temperatures outside of the Gallery or the lustful gaze of an unknown admirer? Either way, she finds herself on a journey of sexual discovery, led by the mysterious Mr X and facilitated by the countless number of eager men just waiting to take her to bed. There’s no denying the novel is packed with steamy sex scenes but without doubt this is purely erotic. Where is the romance in these liaisons? It would fit in with the classification of erotic romance better if Clara would hold true to just one of her willing suitors and not every single man she came across. I have to say, despite this discrepancy, I enjoyed the novel immensely though I found as I read nearer the end the action became rather hurried as if the author felt it was necessary to get in as much sexy action in the remaining chapters as she could. Lured by Lust is a novel that will definitely make you as hot as Clara herself, as it’s packed with raunchy sex scenes. A book certainly well worth reading for this alone. Review by Carrie White ***Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Tie Me Up -
20 Erotic Stories Edited by Cathryn Cooper. Published by Xcite Books. ISBN-10:
1905170947
I’d started to read this collection with some degree of trepidation as anything that could involve pain doesn’t float my boat, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Despite the rather descriptive title, Tie Me Up doesn’t involve excessive use of bondage; in many of the stories the use is subtle, a tease of what could be discovered in this particular world of fetishism. The stories are well written and a variable mixture of storylines but I also felt they were very uninspiring as a collection. I suppose, though, it all depends on what you’re wanting to get out of a novel or anthology and for those seeking to be thrilled and entertained, Tie Me Up will most certainly do the job. Regardless of its apparent lack of ‘kick’ for me, Tie Me Up provides escapism, a gentle lead up into the private life of bondage and tantalising erotic scenarios. I couldn’t fault it for anything else. Review by Carrie White ***Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Ed Fox: Glamour from the Ground Up. Edited by Dian Hanson. Published by Taschen GmbH. ISBN-10: 3822845078
Review Pending. Purchase the 'collectors edition' from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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Nexus Confessions:
v. 2 by Various Authors. Published by Nexus. For various reasons, many people are reluctant to reveal their most private of thoughts and fantasises usually because of other’s less than supportive views; Very often, but not always, this part of a person’s sexuality tests societies acceptance and tolerance to the limit. However, this collection of true confessions which feature fetishes, beautifies the writer’s desires with remarkably sensual results. Even though the contributors to this anthology are readers of Nexus, their accounts are surprisingly readable. Nexus Confessions feature a variety of boundary pushing delights which include ‘spanking, cross-dressing and corporal punishment’, a plethora of stimulating stories which has something for everyone. Even better, there are plenty more of these anthologies in this particular series, so there are no excuses not to try them. Review by Carrie White ****Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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One Breath
at a Time by Gwen Masters. Occasionally, reviewing erotic fiction can be likened to embarking on a new relationship: the excitement of the first meet, the anticipation of that first kiss and caress. Learning about how and what turns your lover on and whether you will cherish each other for years to come or will you dump one another in a charity bookstore when you've taken all you can? This is how I would describe my experience with One Breath at a Time. This novel has been written with so much care and feeling that it literally drips off the page. You can understand the emotional pain and the physical pleasure that Kelley goes through from the first moment she comes face to face with a hunting rifle to its romantic conclusion. As so many people will be able to relate to Kelley's predicament and therefore glean so much more than pleasure from reading it, I feel that the novel should be awarded the highest rating we can give. Review by Carrie White *****Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Uniform Dolls - Kinky tales of women in Uniform by Aishling Morgan. Published by Nexus. ISBN-10: 0352341599. If uniforms are your
sexual pleasure and you take delight in dressing up as various personas
or maybe you prefer others ordering you around, then Uniform Dolls
is well worth considering as inspiration in your request for that ultimate
thrill. For me, the fetish of uniforms isn't something I would personally think about but I can see where the attraction comes in. The ability to have power over anyone you choose and the knowledge that many wouldn't dream of defying you would appeal to most people, I should think! I like Uniform Dolls for its sheer daring and in some parts, pure cheek. Even if Uniforms aren't your thing, you can still find plenty of lustful action in this novel. Review by Carrie White ***Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. Published by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC. ISBN-10: 0747560595 Rarely does a book come along that holds the reader glued to the page by the sheer seductive force of the narrative. Jeffrey Eugenides - like Patrick Suskind in Perfume - achieves this rare feat as we follow like voyeurs the lives of five girls aged 13 to 17 trapped in the suffocating confines of the American middle class of the American fifties. The power of Eugenides's prose allows us to glimpse inside the bedroom windows of these five young virgins, each small carefully related detail, a bra hanging from a crucifix, a discarded pair of knickers, the 15 year old wobbling on her first pair of high heels both innocent and dark: the essence of the erotic. Viewing the outcome as a metaphor rather than a tragedy will add a further level of sensual pleasure to this clever and brilliant book. Review by Chloe Thurlow ****Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Black Lace Quickies - Volume 10. Erotic Short Stories by Women. Various authors. Published by Virgin Books. ISBN-10: 0352341564 The phrase ‘quickies’ usually conjures up visions of opportunistic 60 second sessions of sex, designed purely to keep the passion high and needs satiated. Black Lace has taken this to another level with its most recent addition to the collected works in its Quickie range. ‘Quickies 10’ is a snapshot into the sexy lives of 6 fictional protagonists, who can only be described as sassy, self assured and willing to go to any lengths to get the kicks they crave. Of course, we wouldn’t expect anything less from this particular publisher ;) My only concern with Quickies 10 and probably others in the same series is that the book itself is incredibly short. The problem being: where and when would be the best time to read it? Long train journeys, etc., are out unless you have a stack of them to plough through. My only thought would be that they would be ideal for a pre-requisite to foreplay. Fire up your lover with raunchy texts before he gets home for work, wear your sexiest lingerie and settle down on the bed with the latest Quickie volume to get yourself all hot and bothered, ready for his arrival. The quality of the fiction published by BL is unrivalled. It’s very rare that I come across a story, novel or author that doesn’t keep my heart thumping and my fingers turning the pages. I believe that’s all you need. Review by Carrie White ****Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Infanta by Ralph Gibson. Published by Takarajima Books. ISBN-10: 188348913X Review Pending.
Find this book at Bookfinders |
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Reflections by Guido Argentini. Published by teNeues Verlag GmbH + Co KG. ISBN-10: 3832792139 Guido Argentini was born in Italy in 1966. Initially he intended to work in medicine and actually spent three years attending medical school before deciding to change direction. At this point medicine's loss became the art world's gain when he decided, at the age of 23, to pursue a career as a photographer. He now moves between Italy and U.S.A. producing images for publications such as Vogue, Playboy, Black+White, Marie Claire, Men's Health and Max. 'Reflections' opens with a one page introduction by Argentini where he attempts to explain the reasoning behind the collection and its title. As is the norm for such introductions, this essay falls apart under the weight of its own pretension. Whilst it can be argued that all photographs are constructs the images offered to us within this monograph are particular constructions and not reportage - as such they do not afford a window into a woman's world as claimed but instead they offer up a chance to see that world interpreted, directed and idealised by Guido Argentini. Given that there is an element of self-portraiture in all art - it could therefore be argued that the reflection we actually see in this volume is that of the artist - there is indeed a subconscious acceptance by Argentini of that possibility within the book. If you already own his previous publications - Private Rooms and SilverEye - you will know what to expect and will not be disappointed. The images that Argentini has created for 'Reflections' follow on from what has gone before and are all sophisticated, creative and beautifully composed studies by a photographer at the height of his game. The 100 colour and duotoned images within this large format, coffee table, 224 page volume are all printed to a very high standard, though some are displayed across two pages, on heavy weight art paper. 'Reflections'
is also available, through IconErotica, in a strictly limited
edition - signed and numbered by Argentini - complete with two stunning
prints. This version is also uniquely offered in a choice of two presentation
boxes specially created for this monograph - one a unique glass case with
the other being presented in an aluminium case with mirrored lining. Review by Christopher John Ball *****Rating Purchase the 'collectors edition' from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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The Big Book of Breasts. Edited by Dian Hanson. Published by Taschen. ISBN-10: 3822833037
Review Pending
Purchase the 'collectors edition' from www.boutiqueofunique.com
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Crazy Babe by Bob Coulter. Published by Goliath Books. ISBN-10: 3936709041 Bob Coulter started out as a record producer and it should therefore come as no surprise to find that many of the motifs associated with the rock and roll business feature in his photographs - be it the use of the infamous Chelsea Hotel as a backdrop, the obvious sexual overtones and finally the paraphernalia of drug use - the iconography of sex, drugs and rock and roll inhabit his imagery with abandon. Many of the photographs in 'Crazy Babe' have been featured on the website crazybabe.com which Coulter set up in 1999 to earn a few bucks in what he calls a get rich scheme. Though he first picked up the basics of photography at high school Coulter didn't take up photography seriously until the advent of the digital camera and associated software such as Photoshop. Initially he turned for technical assistance to professional photographers such as Nancy Davenport, Peter Gorman and Leland Ray whom he is lucky enough to be friends with. Published by Goliath in the same 7.6 x 5.8 x 1.5 inch, 368 page format as Naked Happy Girls and Bad Girls Hotel - 'Crazy Babe' shares the same strengths and weaknesses as these titles with the chief weakness being a need for a judicious edit, as there, are at 340+, far too many images of a similar nature for one volume, but this is countered by the print quality which is very good. 'Crazy Babe' is a light-hearted, colourful and sexy monograph that exhibits a lot of energy that some will find electrifying whilst others may find the experience a little underwhelming. Review by Christopher John Ball ***Rating Purchase the 'collectors edition' from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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Sieff by Jeanloup Sieff. Published by Taschen. ISBN-10: 382284439X Jeanloup Sieff was born in 1933, in Paris, to parents of Eastern European origin. He first became interested in photography when he received a Photax plastic camera on his fourteenth birthday. In 1953 he attended the Vaugirard School of Photography in Paris and later the Vevey School in Switzerland. After a brief stint as a reporter Sieff began a long love affair with fashion, the female form and dance. In 1958 he joined the celebrated Magnum Agency. The work of this much loved and hugely influential photographer has been widely published in magazines such as Esquire, Glamour, Vogue and Harpers Bazaar and he was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in Paris in 1981 and the Grand Prix National de la Photographie in 1992. Sadly, on September 20th 2000, Jeanloup Sieff died in Paris at the age of 66. Drawing from a body of stunning, yet subtle, monochromatic images, created throughout his forty year career and covering subjects as diverse as landscapes, abstracts, fashion and the nude - Sieff is a 288 page, hard-backed, coffee table monograph, printed to a high standard, on heavy weight art paper and divided into four chapters that cover the 1950s through to the 1990s. Sieff has also authored introductions to each section that are both humorous and informative. This monograph lends itself to repeat viewing and makes a great introduction to the work of a master photographer who is sorely missed. Review by Christopher John Ball ***** Rating Purchase the 'collectors edition' from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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Kinky Couture by Emma Delves-Broughton. Published by Goliath. ISBN-10: 3936709076 The fetish images made by British photographer Emma Delves-Broughton have been published in magazines as diverse as Loaded, Maxim, GQ, Front, Kerrang, Skin Two, Marquis, British Journal of Photography and Professional Photographer. Emma has been making photographs since she persuaded her mother to let her convert a spare bedroom into a darkroom after acquiring her first camera at 16. She then went on to study graphic design at Birmingham University and turned professional after the positive reaction to her first solo exhibition held at the sorely missed f/stop gallery in Bath. She works with both professional and amateur models and these can range from students to housewives to strippers - but often they are simply friends who needed no convincing to don the rubber and vinyl clothing and pose for her camera. She has even been known to pose herself in a series of self portraits. Though more fashion than fine art - the vibrant colour images within 'Kinky Couture' are undemanding fun and this little book, with its seductive padded cover, is the perfect introduction to the world of Emma Delves-Broughton - it is also a welcome change to get a female perspective from behind the camera. Review by Christopher John Ball ***Rating Purchase from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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Naked Happy Girls: New York Undressed Sexy Private Home Innocent Natural Sunny Erotic Real and Playful by Andrew Einhorn. Published by Goliath. ISBN-10: 3936709033 Andrew Einhorn was born in the US State of Pennsylvania in 1964. He became infatuated with photography after working on the newspaper and yearbook of Temple University where he studied journalism. After graduating he spent the next five years as a photojournalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer. In 1994 he made the move to New York where he still lives and works as a photographer, editor and comedian. It was whilst living in Manhattan that he first became interested in the nude as a subject and began by persuading friends and later strangers to pose. Many of these images were first used in a public-access television programme he produced called "Dog the Cat" and they have now been collated for publication in Naked Happy Girls. The book opens with a one page introduction by Emma Jane Taylor and then we are straight into the photographs. These are split into small sections devoted to each model and, in way of introduction, Einhorn writes a short paragraph on each. The photographer prefers to use the models own home as the location for each shoot and this adds to the image by allowing more of the models personality to shine through. The photographs betray Einhorn's photojournalistic background, as well as his sense of humour, and are shot without enhancement - they remind one a little of the nudes created by Lee Friedlander. The collection works for a couple of viewings but some may find that the style tends to overstay its welcome. This may be in some part due to the number of images within the book - at 368 pages Naked Happy Girls, like many of the books Goliath publish in this particular format, could have benefited from a little editing. Review by Christopher John Ball **Rating Purchase from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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Visions of Ophelia by Jack C Gilbert. Published by Edition Reuss . ISBN-10: 3934020453 Born in the United States - Jack C Gilbert always thought of himself as an artist and as a teenager studied the paintings and illustrations of Frank Frazetta and Boris Vallejo which he attempted to emulate with varying degrees of success. He turned to photography whilst at college where he found himself fortunate to be taught by instructors who were themselves world-class photographers and who instilled in him a love for the medium. Inspired by the work of Jeanloup Sieff, Robert Farber and Joyce Tennyson - Gilbert soon began making and exhibiting photographic interpretations of the nude. In 1985 he graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree in psychology. Working in monochrome, and concentrating on models between the ages of 18 and 20 as subjects, Gilbert creates undemanding but well crafted images that exhibit an understanding for the medium and how to use natural light sympathetically to bring out the best from his subject. 'Visions of Ophelia' opens with a two page introduction authored by Gilbert himself. In this Gilbert initially refers to the Shakespearean character Ophelia - from which this monograph draws its title. Unfortunately, despite claiming that it was 'never a point of confusion,' it is in this introduction that I feel Gilbert comes a little unstuck as he attempts to explain the philosophy behind his work. He makes reference to the book 'Reviving Ophelia' by American psychologist Mary Pipher. Pipher's book seeks to examine the reasons why a young woman may fall prey to an eating disorder. Gilbert states that he had recognised the 'syndrome' during the time he spent working as a clinical associate in a US psychiatric facility. He denies any intention of 'centering on the psychopathology that I had encountered years before in my clinical work.' because that would be 'a betrayal of all those young women I had counseled' yet in bringing it into the equation he has done just that - the association with the photographs and the 'syndrome' has been made and, given that it is reinforced by the use of Ophelia as used by Mary Pipher and not Shakespeare, that was the intent. He then adds that 'each photo session was a bit like therapy for me' - sorry Jake, it doesn't add up and you cannot have it both ways! Instead of adding gravatas to the work it detracts from it as one tries to establish a link that, to be frank, just isn't there. The imagery is strong enough to have been published without an introduction - especially this one - and its inclusion has taken something of the mystery away, from what are without doubt good photographs, by trying to make this somewhat unnecessary and unfounded connection. 'Visions of Ophelia' is published with a hard cover and dust jacket. The 100 + duotoned photographs are displayed one image per page, printed on art paper and reproduced to the same high standard that Edition Reuss have established for themselves with their other titles released in this 28.4 x 21 x 1.8 cm format. 'Visions of Ophelia' is a good monograph - so my advice is: Buy the book, ignore the introduction and enjoy the photographs for what they are. Review by Christopher John Ball *** Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Eroticism by Georges Bataille. Published by Marion Boyars Publishers. ISBN-10: 0714528722 The plunging neckline, suspenders through soft fabrics, the four-inch heels that shrink the waist and shape your breasts disguise our deeper desire for children, sex in clean sheets, back straight, knees apart. By contrast, the erotic is a 'psychological quest' alien to that urge. The erotic is the hidden attraction to bondage, discipline, sadomasochism, the orgy; our predisposition to fantasize on sacrifice, incest and, ultimately, 'assenting to life up to the point of death.' These are the themes set out and meticulously explored by Georges Bataille in his masterwork Eroticism, a controversial study that first saw the light of day in France in 1957 and is published now in a new edition in English by Marion Boyars Modern Classics with a brisk, no nonsense translation by Mary Dalwood. Once described as the 'metaphysician of evil,' Georges Bataille (1897 – 1962) is one of the most important French thinkers of his generation. A librarian, pornographer and devout Catholic, he came in later life to regard the brothels of Paris as true churches and wrote, as Jean-Paul Sartre put it, 'about man's condition, not his nature…In him reality is in conflict.' Bataille is at his most convincing in the way he connects the underlying sexual basis of religion and philosophy to death. Erotic sex, he argues, is surrounded by taboos which we must struggle against in order to overcome the sense of isolation that surrounds us all. The erotic is life on the high wire, liberating, energizing, uniquely human. 'It seems to be assumed,' he writes, 'that man has his being independently of his passions. I affirm that we must never imagine existence except in terms of these passions.' For anyone who writes, reads, sketches, photographs or enjoys any or indeed all aspect of their erotic life, Eroticism through 276 pages will ease the pain, heighten the pleasure, clear the mind and put you in touch with the you you really are. With references from De Sade, Freud and Saint Theresa, Georges Bataille strips away the veneer of what he sees as an imposed morality to take us into the heart of man's erotic impulse. Review by Chloë Thurlow **** Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Intimate Obsessions by China Hamilton. Published by Edition Reuss. ISBN-10: 393402047X Born in London in 1946, China Hamilton became interested in art and photography from an early age and later studied drawing and painting at Croydon College of Art and Design. His images have been widely published and exhibited and he has earned world wide respect for his research, development and invention of several alternative photographic processes. He is also warmly admired for the generous manner in which he has mentored photographers who have sought his advice. This has all combined to make him one of the world's most sought after and respected artists working within the erotic genre today. Given that he is also a writer - a book of his poetry and short stories will soon be published - the world that Hamilton creates marks him out as something of a philosopher poet. Though not, despite the S&M flavour to many of the artworks, that of a Marquis de Sade but instead there are echoes of Jean Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, Immanuel Kant and Roland Barthes. What also comes across from viewing this collection is the inherently sympathetic dialogue between artist and muse that has resulted in complete openness and trust. Critics from the neo-puritan school have found Hamilton's work controversial, indeed a few of his images may upset those that set out to judge, but then we all bring a little of ourselves to the reading of any artwork and this is reflected back at us and many, hating their own reflection and refusing to enter into dialogue with it, seek the easy option and attempt to destroy the mirror. 'Intimate Obsessions' is published in a hard cover, with dust jacket, and opens with a four page introduction, penned by Hamilton, in which we learn something of his working practice and philosophy. The 90+ duotoned photographs are printed on art paper and reproduced to the same high standard that one has come to expect from Edition Reuss. If you already own any of Hamilton's previous publications then you will know what to expect and will therefore be eager to place 'Intimate Obsessions' within your collection - needing no recommendation or encouragement from a reviewer to do so. If you are new to the world of China Hamilton then you will find this monograph the perfect introduction to the work of this singularly unique talent. Review by Christopher John Ball ***** Rating Purchase this book at Amazon Here |
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Lust and Pain by Guy Lemaire. Published by Edition Reuss. ISBN-10: 3934020054 The sadomasochistic photographs of Guy Lemaire have been widely published in fetish/BDSM magazines in Europe and this has given him a cult following within the fetish scene. Lacking the grace, poetry and compositional subtleties of China Hamilton or the cold perfection of Robert Mapplethorpe - Lemaire nonetheless still manages to hold attention with a theatricality that reminds one of the work of Gilles Berquet. Where Lemaire differs from Berquet's style is in the way he adds an organic feel to the images by distressing the negatives and prints. In some cases this is done by abrasing the surface with sandpaper - in others he has bleached part of the negative or developed the print by brushing on the chemicals by hand. 'Lust and Pain' is published in a hard cover, with dust jacket, and opens with a two page introduction by Joseph Orban entitled 'The Sebastianic Lover.' By now readers will be aware that this reviewer finds many of the introductions that accompany photographic monographs to be problematic at best. Most add nothing to the imagery and often come across as if having been written by an angst-ridden student and serve no useful purpose. Orban's piece is pretentious doggerel that gets the gender wrong, contradicts itself and is simply painful to read - perhaps apt considering the nature of the imagery. To be fair to Orban - it could be argued that perhaps something was lost in the translation. Where possible publishers should let the photographs speak for themselves - there can be no denying that the images in 'Lust and Pain' are powerful enough to exist on their own. If additional text is felt to have been needed it would have perhaps been far more informative to have replaced 'The Sebastianic Lover' with a biography of Guy Lemaire. The 100 + monochromatic images, within this 11 inch square format book, are printed one per page and reproduced on quality art paper to the standard that one has come to expect from this publishing house. Whilst not to everyone's taste - 'Lust and Pain' is a challenging monograph that is worthy of perusal. Review by Christopher John Ball *** Rating Purchase this book at Amazon Here |
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My First Time: Volume 5. Edited by Jack Hart. Published by Alyson Books. Paperback: 245 pages. ISBN-10: 1593500300 Anthologies usually bring a variety of styles and talents to one book and this particular edition is no exception. It can be difficult to find authors that compliment one another and Jack Hart almost succeeds in doing so. Occasionally, whilst reading, I come across stories that feel to me a little weak in their style and composition and without a good piece of editing, it's these stories that will make or break an anthology. My First Time Vol 5, unfortunately, has not escaped this problem, entirely. The good far outweighed the not-so-good, however, so very little of the eroticism or intentions were lost. So far my experiences (however small) with gay literature have been pleasurable and I've found many of the liaisons between the men involved to be sensual, respectful and sensitive regardless of whether the encounters depicted are fact or fiction. This particular volume of first same sex experiences contains the ingredients of a well-balanced and enjoyable mixture and not least because one of my favourite gay fiction authors has also contributed ;). Review by Carrie White ***Rating Purchase from Alyson Books |
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Being a Girl by Chloe Thurlow. Published by Nexus. ISBN-10: 0352341394 Being a Girl follows the first few tentative steps of Milly into the world of eroticism and film. She's young but surprisingly in touch with her body for one at such an early stage in her sexual development (she's a virgin) and she is also posessed of an innocent quality which could be said to be endearing. With this combination Ms Thurlow succeeds in creating a 'hook' in an important section of the novel. As with her previous novel, Ms Thurlow places her characters within sexual acts and situations that teeter on the fringes of what is considered acceptable in society. I do admire authors who are willing to cross that line of conventionality; to bring our attention to other aspects of sexual lifestyles in existence and maybe introduce us to alternative forms of pleasure. I can't help but feel jealous of some of the protagonist's upbringing, though ;) If we'd all had the opportunities presented to Milly maybe the world would be a more open and accepting place with regards to sexuality. So, in summary, Being a Girl is a well written novel with copious amounts of eroticism to keep the fires burning in more places than one. I look forward to future offerings from this feisty author. Review by Carrie White **** Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Naked Gymnastics by John de Lombardo. Published by Edition Reuss. ISBN-10: 3934020372 John de Lombardo is an Australian photographer and lecturer who is currently teaching within the School Of Art campus at The Australian National University. He is perhaps now best known for his work on a project he initiated, that he has entitled 'Artflex,' in which he photographs nude contortionists and flexible performance artists. The stated aim of 'Artflex' is to 'use such models to display the human body as a piece of art, twisted and contorted, but in harmony with itself and its positioning.' Does it achieve its aim? Whilst the photographs are all technically well executed and competent only a handful go someway to satisfying the photographers self imposed brief - the majority do not. Instead most come over as very ordinary and repetitive studio shots that do not give the impression that the models are either skilled contortionists or flexible performance artists - their talents have simply not been made best use of in the examples offered within the pages of this monograph. This seems to be still a work in progress with a lot of potential but it is not something that holds together as a book at present. 'Naked Gymnastics'
is published in a hard cover, with dust jacket, and opens with a two page
introduction by a Lewie JPD that is somewhat laboured and confused in
its intent and would therefore have been best left out of this volume.
The 120 + photographs, a mix of colour and monochromatic images the majority
of which are printed one per page, are reproduced on quality art paper
to the standard that one has come to expect from this publishing house. Review by Christopher John Ball **Rating Purchase from Amazon |
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Fetish Theatre by Alan Tex. Published by Edition Reuss. ISBN-10: 3980501779 Alan Tex was born in Belgium in 1951. He has exhibited in Brussels, Barcelona, Hamburg and the Musee de l'Erotisme in Paris and his work has been published in magazines in Spain and the Netherlands. He is a member of the infamous club 'Galerie d'Enfer' in Brussels. The 57 colour photographs are reproduced to a high standard and explore some of the same themes that are inherent within the work of Jan Saudek. The models that pose for Tex are not your usual examples of human perfection that frequent most fetish imagery - this is the theatre of the grotesque, each image a dramatic tableaux that builds to emphasise and explore the horrifying or the macabre within the sexual arena, Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol. 'Fetish Theatre' is published in a hard cover, with dust jacket, in a 33.6 x 24.4 x 1.8 cm coffee table format and opens with an interesting one page introduction by criminologist Sophie Bastiaens. If you are looking for the glossy fashion orientated images that often pass themselves off as fetish then you will be disappointed - but if you are looking for something with more of an edge then 'Fetish Theatre' may well be for you. Review by Christopher John Ball ***Rating Purchase this book at Amazon Here |
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Hot on His Trail by Zavo. Published by Alyson Books. Paperback: 221 pages. ISBN-10: 1555839754 After spending most of my time reading gay anthologies, I finally had the chance to read an erotic novel in the same vein. Although, westerns are not usually my thing, I put my feelings to one side initially so I had a completely open mind. Hot on his Trail, as a novel, is a good read creating ideal circumstances within the story to facilitate plenty of hot, erotic action. My one reservation about this particular book, and which I believe would have made a marked improvement in the believability if it had been corrected, is how every single man is described in the same way. Not only is every single guy that the protagonist came in contact with gay or seemed to have no problems with sleeping with another man but they're all handsome, all have amazingly fat cocks and all have balls that hung low and heavy. Even the action, to me, became rather repetitive after awhile but that's something you would need to find out for yourself. For this reason alone I don't feel I could give the novel top ratings because I feel a majority of readers of whatever sub genre of erotica would appreciate some variety in the characters, settings and erotic scenes. Review by Carrie White **Rating Purchase from Alyson Books |
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Defending Pornography: Free Speech, Sex and the Fight for Women's Rights by Nadine Strossen. Published by Abacus. ISBN-10: 0349107653 In 1991 Professor Nadine Strossen became the first female president of the American Civil Liberties Union. Founded in 1920 - the ACLU seeks "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." In addition she sits on the 'Council on Foreign Relations' and she is a founding member of 'Feminists for Free Expression'. 'Feminists for Free Expression' use feminist principles and arguments to counter censorship in the United States and preserve the individual's right to view and create materials of their choice without the intervention of the state "for her own good" - believing that freedom of expression plays an important role in the quest for women's rights: - "While messages reflecting sexism pervade our culture in many forms, sexual and nonsexual, suppression of such material will neither reduce harm to women nor further women's goals ....Censorship traditionally has been used to silence women and stifle feminist social change. It never has reduced violence; it has led to the imprisonment of birth control advocate Margaret Sanger and the suppression of such works as The New Our Bodies, Ourselves, The Well of Loneliness, and the feminist plays of Holly Hughes ...Women do not require 'protection' from explicit sexual materials ...Women are as varied as any citizens of a democracy; there is no agreement or feminist code as to what images are distasteful or even sexist. It is the right and responsibility of each woman to read, view or reproduce the sexual material she chooses without the intervention of the state 'for her own good'...This is the great benefit of being feminists in a free society" - reprinted in 'Defending Pornography' Published in 1995 'Defending Pornography' was written as an attempt to counter the influential pro-censorship texts produced in the 1990's by the likes of Catharine MacKinnon and Andrea Dworkin. Given that MacKinnon had refused to take part in debates with feminists who are against censorship it was also intended as a way to force a debate with her. Strossen believes that Mackinnon and Dworkin have misinterpreted studies investigating the effects that pornography have on men and have ignored other factors. Indeed Strossen shows that both MacKinnon and Dworkin have made errors as they jumped to conclusions in their attempts to justify censorship. Where laws, inspired by the work of both MacKinnon and Dworkin, have been introduced Strossen provides evidence to show that there has been an adverse effect upon the rights of free expression for women. The Canadian laws, introduced in 1992, made no allowances for work that had serious literary or artistic value as said laws were based upon MacKinnon and Dworkin's strict definition of pornography as 'sexually explicit material that subordinates or degrades women' and their insistence that it causes discrimination and violence against women. Indeed some feminists, who had pushed for the laws to be introduced, were shocked to find said laws enacted against themselves. For example - in Canada such laws were used to censor and seize artworks/literature produced by lesbians, homosexuals and feminists. Despite this both MacKinnon and Dworkin saw the introduction of the censorship laws in Canada as a victory for women. In a novel twist - it appears that amongst the material held for inspection by Canadian customs agents were the books 'Pornography: Men Possessing Women' and 'Woman Hating' both written by one Andrea Dworkin. In 'Defending Pornography' Professor Strossen argues that attempts to censor pornography in North America are actually hindering the advancement of women's rights and are in fact aiding the conservative right in its attempt to control the media. She shows how MacKinnon and Dworkin have hypocritically formed an unholy alliance with the conservative/religious movement to try and chip away at the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. One element that is often missing within an analysis of the pro-censorship feminist argument is the incredible amount of misandry (what Judith Levine has called "the hate that dares not speak its name") to be found within texts by the likes of Andrea Dworkin. For example in her book 'Letters from a War Zone' she states: "One can know everything and still be unable to accept the fact that sex and murder are fused in the male consciousness, so that the one without the imminent possibly of the other is unthinkable and impossible ... ...In everything men make, they hollow out a central place for death, let its rancid smell contaminate every dimension of whatever still survives. Men especially love murder. In art they celebrate it, and in life they commit it. They embrace murder as if life without it would be devoid of passion meaning, and action, as if murder were solace, still their sobs as they mourn the emptiness and alienation of their lives" How would Dworkin have felt if the word 'men' in the above were replaced with black, gay, Jew or dare I say women? Many of the calls, from some quarters, for greater censorship are simply sexist attacks on men, based upon bigoted interpretations, on what is perceived to be male heterosexuality. For example - Catherine MacKinnon has written: "In a patriarchal society all heterosexual intercourse is rape because women, as a group, are not strong enough to give meaningful consent." "Compare victims' reports of rape with women's reports of sex; they look a lot alike....the major distinction between intercourse (normal) and rape (abnormal) is that the normal happens so often that one cannot get anyone to see anything wrong with it." Dworkin and MacKinnon seem to be blind to the fact that countries that impose rigid censorship are often the very ones that socially, sexually and economically repress women - whereas women who live in countries that operate a more liberated view on censorship tend to have a higher level of freedom and rights. They are also equally dismissive of the fact that women themselves produce and consume pornography and erotica - as the number of female artists within the Association membership testify. Essays within 'Defending Pornography' deal with contentious elements within the debate such as 'Positive Aspects of Pornographic Imagery', 'Posing for Pornography: Coercion or Consent?' and 'Revealing Views of Women, Men, and Sex.' Though first published over 10 years ago 'Defending Pornography' still holds up as a great universal counter argument to those that want to restrict freedom of expression and should be read by all. Review by Christopher John Ball ***** Rating |
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The World's Greatest Erotic Art of Today - Volume 1. Published by Erotic Signature. ISBN-10: 0979596408 In 2006 US based 'Erotic Signature' launched an international erotic arts competition. Its laudable aim was to raise money for charities supporting those living with HIV/AIDS and also those bodies who raise awareness and research into said disease. An international jury was created from an eclectic group of artists, museum curators, editors and academics - ranging from the qualified and experienced, such as Dr Laura Henkel, Javier De Pison, Julian Murphy and Dian Hanson, to the questionable, e.g. John Dietrich. Artists entered, the deadline arrived, the artworks judged, the 200 winners announced and the self styled 'The World's Greatest Erotic Art of Today - Volume 1' is the result. The artists range from established professionals to non-professional and potential future names and cover heterosexual, homosexual and sapphic themes. If I have one major criticism then it has to be with the book's title - it is cliché, cheap, clumsy and unimaginative but, more importantly, it sets itself up to the obvious counter criticisms inherent within it. Despite there being some great artworks within its covers there is much that isn't of sufficient quality or originality to justify the title and to be honest it is only made up of those artists that actually entered the competition. But the major concern is that it displays a very Western-centric depiction of erotica and not, as the title would suggest, one that is drawn from the many cultures and countries that make up 'The World'. This sounds harsh and, to be fair, such criticisms could be made about many competitions and anthologies of this type but, in my opinion, the publishers have scored an own goal by selecting 'The World's Greatest Erotic Art of Today' as a title. I am surprised that they did not use the perfectly usable alternative title available to them already and that is 'Erotic Signature.' The volume is split into four main categories - 'Fine Art', 'Photography', 'Digital Art' and 'Sculpture'. In addition there is a useful directory listing contact details of each of the artists selected for the book. The 255 pages that make up the collection are printed to a high standard, on heavy weight art paper, that does full justice to the artworks. The anthology provides for an enjoyable viewing experience and it is fun to compare the winners with the runners up and see if you agree with the judges as to their final decisions. 'The World's Greatest Erotic Art of Today - Volume 1' is published in hardcover, softcover and numbered limited editions. Erotic Signature states that they have selected four potential benefactors from which one will be chosen, through a vote by members of their website, and that 100% of the profits raised by the sale of 'The World's Greatest Erotic Art of Today - Volume 1' will be donated to the charity that wins said vote. Review by Christopher John Ball ***Rating Purchase via Erotic Signature website Enter the 2007 'The World's Greatest Erotic Art of Today- Volume 2' Competition (Deadline December 8th 2007) here |
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Distance Fades Between Us - Dark Nudes by Tim J Phillips. Published by The Artist's Edition. ISBN-10: 0955700604 British photographer Tim Phillips was initially inspired to produce his first monograph, 'Distance Fades Between Us', after watching Nicole Kidman perform a striptease whilst bathed in the light from a cars headlight in the 1995 film 'To Die For.' The collection was produced over a 12 month period, in various UK locations at night, with the help of eight models and with each image being lit by a variety of artificial and natural light sources. The book opens with a brief introduction and then we are taken straight into the 130 monochrome images, that inhabit the 128 pages of the monograph, with the majority of photographs being displayed 1 per page. Given that the images were made at night, and therefore exhibit a variety of dark tones, the book makes full use of a white border and aesthetically this allows each image to breathe on the page. Phillip's photographs are more than mere formal studies of light and shadow. As constructs there is far too much drama inherent within each image for them to have been the result of a simple exercise. These are not soft-focused and romanticised images of women - the models often appear to wear the very dirt, oil and mud from their surroundings - taking on this detritus as camouflage. Caught in the cameras 'headlights' their gaze challenges us for a brief moment, just long enough for the camera to record their defiance and then they make their escape - scrambling through the undergrowth, negotiating a bridge or feeling their way through the constraints of a cellar and they are gone. The images within 'Distance Fades Between Us' are well executed and remind one of a cross between Bill Brandt and Lee Friedlander, with a touch of Ralph Gibson thrown in, and the books theme is strong enough to provide enough variety to keep ones interest and draw one back for repeat viewings. Review by Christopher John Ball **** Rating Find this book at Amazon Here. |
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Pornography and Silence: Culture's Revolt Against Nature by Susan Griffin. Published by The Women's Press Limited. ISBN 0-7043-3877-7 Review by Christopher John Ball Pending |
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The New Erotic Photography. Edited by Eric Kroll and Dian Hanson. Printed in English, French and German. Published by Taschen. ISBN-10: 3822849243 The work of 82 photographers, drawn from 14 countries, are collated to make up Taschen's latest photographic anthology 'The New Erotic Photography.' Within the 610 pages of this hard-backed, coffee table, book one finds a collection of colour and monochromatic photographs, for the most part displayed one per page, interspaced with a biography of each photographer. The list of photographers include Guido Argentini, Didier Carre, Peter Gorman, Eric Kroll, Christine Kessler, Lisa Boyle, Susan Egan, Craig Morey, Ralph Gibson, the late great and deeply missed Bob Carlos Clarke (to whom this collection is dedicated) and 'The Association of Erotic Artists' very own China Hamilton. The book opens with the obligatory introduction, so beloved by editors of such collections, and The New Erotic Photography offers us two for our perusal. One by Dian Hanson entitled 'Shedding Some Light' and another by Eric Kroll entitled 'What Is' - whilst I am not usually a fan of such introductions - most seem rather pretentious and detract from the imagery by adding nothing to it - in this case both are interesting and give an idea as to how the collection was arrived at. The text that accompanies the work of each photographer is also informative - giving biographical info and a brief introduction to the philosophy behind their work - and again adds value to the anthology. 'The New Erotic Photography' is printed to the usual high standard that one has come to expect from Taschen but the main strength of this collection comes from the balance afforded by the inclusion of the work of so many female photographers within its pages, and their thoughts on erotica, and the editors are to be applauded for striving towards achieving this balance and offering us these insights. 'The New Erotic Photography' is a collection that keeps the reader interested and the differences in both image style and genre offers something for everyone. Review by Christopher John Ball **** Rating Purchase the 'collectors edition' from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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Bordello - A Collection of Photographs by Vee Speers. Published by Periplus Publishing London Ltd. ISBN-10: 1902699734 Vee Speers is Australian by birth and studied Fine Art and Photography at the Queensland College of Art. From here she went on to work for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation where she photographed publicity material. Speers has exhibited widely and won many awards for her work - including the 1994 Hasselblad / Prophoto prize. For the past 15 years she has made Paris her home - living near the infamous red light district of Rue St. Denis. From her flat she watched the prostitutes displaying their wares and their clients coming to buy and became fascinated by the interaction and seduction "The art of seduction fascinates me. I love the game." It is this fascination that inspired her to produce the series of images she has entitled 'Bordello' a collection that has been exhibited in London, Paris, Italy and Japan. Building upon, and referencing in both style and visual vocabulary, the photographs of 1920's Parisian nightlife by the photographer Brassaï (Gyula Halász 1899 - 1984) - Speers has deliberately accentuated the romantic and seductive atmosphere of her work by using the Fresson process to create the final prints. She states that it was important to use the the carbon technique of the Atelier Fresson so that the resultant images would be imbibed with "a more authentic, painterly quality.” To strive further towards this authenticity Speers' made her photographs, using none professional models, on location in former bordellos where the original and lavish decors survived intact. Speers stated intention is to create “a visual celebration of the mystery of seduction” that is "respectful yet powerful." A celebration that also shows that "women have a different way of seeing the body" and how "models respond to a woman behind the camera" in a way that is "different" to how they would react to a man. She states that the work is meant to be an "exploration of sensuality and femininity" rather than "an essay on prostitution." Bordello is published in a pocket book format and has approx 50 monochromatic images within its pages. It opens with a short introduction by Kate Hamilton from Black+White magazine. In addition - Paul Ryan provides a lengthy, and somewhat redundant, 42 page essay entitled 'Bordello - Inside the Maisons Closes.' The book ends with a short autobiography and a very interesting, but all too short, piece about the Fresson printing technique. The photographs are truly beautiful, captivating and they do indeed seduce the viewer - taking one back to another time where Brassaï walked the streets of Paris. The images alone make the book a worthwhile purchase but, despite her denial, one cannot escape the fact that she has created photographs that can indeed be read as an idealistic and romanticised view of prostitution - how much of prostitution can really be said to about "seduction" and an "exploration of sensuality and femininity" ? - that these questions are left unanswered leaves a bittersweet aftertaste. It should not be forgotten that there is a fundamental difference between the photographs of Brassaï and Speers - the images Brassaï made were reportage. This reviewer cannot help but think that it would have been better to have left out the piece by Paul Ryan. The photographs are stunning and as such they are strong enough to stand by themselves, in part perhaps as a homage to Brassaï, without the accompanying text weakening their case. Review by Christopher John Ball *** Rating Find this book at the EPS website Here |
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Histoire de l'oeil (Story of the Eye) by George Bataille ISBN-10: 2070728501 First published in 1928, under the pseudonym of Lord Auch, this classic philosophical erotic novel is a 'Tour de Force' of sexual depravity enacted between two teenage lovers - the unnamed male narrator of the story and Simone. Two other key characters exist within the text - Marcelle, a mentally disturbed sixteen year old girl, who ultimately is driven insane and hangs herself, and Lord Edmund, a voyeuristic English aristocrat. This exploration of extreme human sexuality starts from a position of sexual immorality and descend to the depths of sexual evil. The sexual explorations of the characters are set out in a number of well crafted vignettes that drag you mentally screaming through a roller coaster ride. You want to get off, to stop reading further lest you yourself become embroiled in their ultimately disastrous entanglements but the shear fascination of the sexual horrors keeps one reading, praying and hoping that you at least may survive the journey. Like punches from Mike Tyson - the deprived sexual episodes keep coming. Acts of threesome exhibitionistic sex, orgies and obsessions with inserting eggs into vaginas. There is a wonderfully erotic moment of sitting bare bottomed on a saucer of milk (not the most depraved act but very erotic non the less). The exploration of sexuality include a memorable moment of rampant intercourse next to the dead body of Marcella. The depraved lovers flee to Spain to continue their orgy of disturbing sexual gratification. In Spain the depravity sinks lower and during a bullfight the testicles of a defeated bull are cut-off. Simone gains one of these and inserts it into her vagina. This highly charged erotic moment is contrasted with the image of the young matador who was gored to death - his mutilated face is seen with one of his eyes hanging loose from its socket. The images of eyes, eggs and testicles are thus interwoven through the story. The interweaving of images continues with the scene of a young catholic priest who is strangled while having an orgasm during the books final murderous orgiastic vignette. His eye is gouged out for Simone to once again insert into her vagina. (Due to my own compulsive need to explore the less holy side of state religions I love this wonderful blasphemy filled part of the story). In order to avoid capture for the murder of the Priest the wealthy Sir Edmund supplies a yacht for them to escape Spain. This ending leaves the story without the desired ultimate capture and punishment of the protagonists that could have relieved and cleansed the reader of the 'Sin' of reading this book to the end instead of throwing it down in horror and disgust at the beginning. If the idea of an erotic novel is one of passion filled lovers discovering each other from an almost biblical approved morality viewpoint then this is not for you but if you believe in a need to understand human sexuality in extremes then this book is a must. If you buy a copy of this book get one with the beautiful illustrations by Hans Bellmer Review by Paul Woods ****
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Muse: The Art of Ray Leaning by Ray Leaning - Published by The Erotic Print Society. ISBN-10: 1898998965 Born in the United Kingdom, in 1959, Leaning describes his early life as that of a solitary child who first taught himself to draw by copying the superhero characters that inhabited the Marvel and DC comics in which he sought solace. In addition to this he sought inspiration from the books that his older brother brought home from art school. Within these pages he found the works of Lichtenstein, Warhol and Allen Jones and it was from these that he taught himself how to grid-up and resize pictures and then use these techniques to create life-size cardboard cut-outs of characters from the comics. Even at that early age he found himself attracted more to the female superheroes, such as Catwoman and Supergirl, than to the male characters. As he matured into a teenager he found himself inspired by the album covers of Roger Dean and the music of Pink Floyd, The Stones, David Bowie and Led Zeppelin. Cruelly labeled as an 'idiot' by some of his teachers, due to undiagnosed dyslexia, Leaning, like so many creative children before and since, found sanctuary within the art room and classes run by understanding art teachers who praised his work and encouraged him to continue. After a series of unfulfilling jobs Leaning accepted a place as a mature student at Exeter College of Art, where he studied Fine Art Painting, and graduated in 1984. From there he has worked at various publishing houses, taught and exhibits each year at Erotica - the London fetish show held at Olympia. 'Muse - The Art of Ray Leaning' is the first monograph to be published of this artist's work and contains over 150 examples of his drawings and paintings, collated from a back catalogue of previously unpublished work, and shows how Leaning has developed from emerging talent into a professional artist. Interspaced within the artworks, and showing that Leaning has a particular talent for narrative, is an auto-biography that is informative, humorous, often self depreciating, at times very endearing and one that I really enjoyed reading - containing much that many a struggling artist could empathise and identify with. Though he doesn't call himself a 'fetish artist' - much of his work could be said to fall into that category. The models, or muse to give his and their preferred description, are often depicted as strong, stylised beings that are somewhat romanticised and betray Leanings early comic book inspirations. Though technically good and executed perfectly - the black and white illustrations I found a little cold and repetitive after a while. I much preferred the colour work, particularly the early examples that exhibit the same vulnerability, warmth, humour and humanity of the person that comes across to the reader in the auto-biography. 'Muse - The Art of Ray Leaning' is published in a soft cover and reproduced to a high standard, on high quality art paper, that does full justice to the artworks - allowing them to come alive on the page. This monograph is recommended to all those with an interest in the fetish genre and also to any aspiring artist - who will find the text educational. Review by Christopher John Ball **** Rating Find this book at the EPS website Here |
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Exposure by Bruno Bisang - Published by teNeues Publishing (UK) Ltd ISBN-10: 3823845985 Bruno Bisang was born in Switzerland in 1952. At 19 he attended the School of Applied Arts for Photography in Zurich. After serving as a photographic assistant Bisang began freelancing in 1979. His work now sees him jetting between Milan, New York, Zurich and Paris for customers such as Cosmopolitan, Vogue Homme, Photo, GQ, Deutsche Vogue, Chanel and Givenchy. Bisang draws much inspiration from his fascination with the films and stars of the 1950's - it was from avidly watching these films as a youth that he first realised that he want to be a photographer. It could be argued that his style of imagery falls into the same camp as Andreas H. Bitesnich in that, unlike say Roy Stuart or Richard Kern, Bisang's camera and eye tends to fall upon examples of what could be seen as idealised perfection. The book opens with a one page attempt at a 'poetic' introduction from Muriel Amori that, as with all the text, is reprinted in 5 languages. The photographs are peppered with short paragraphs by Bisang such as this one from the inside cover: "I believe that I have the ability to entice from a woman something that she has within her, without her being aware of it. To present her in a way that she has never seen herself before. To enable her to discover something in her own inner self which has until now been unable to surface. I transfer my own sensitivity to her; I give her my all. From within this common universe my pictures emerge." Given that the models are all examples of Amazonian idealised perfection and include Claudia Schiffer, Tyra Banks, Carré Otis and Monica Bellucci - it is hard to accept the claim that they have been shown something, in these photographs, of their inner self "which has until now been unable to surface." But then this reviewer has often made plain his cynicism with regard to much of the text that accompanies photographic monologues. Photographs should be allowed to speak for themselves and when they are as good as the ones exhibited within the pages of 'Exposure' why detract attention away by trying to explain them? The book ends with a selection of photographs entitled 'Video Prints'. These heavily pixilated, low resolution, digital images are a welcome addition as they offer a counter and contrast to the preceding photographs of perfection and may point to a new direction for Bisang. Within its 200 heavy weight pages are approximately 150 duotoned and colour photographs - for the most part printed one per page. The large format, hard-backed limited edition version, of this beautifully printed and prepared volume, comes complete with an attractive slip case. Review by Christopher John Ball ***** Rating Purchase the 'collectors edition' from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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Action by Richard Kern. Published by Taschen. ISBN-10: 3822856495 Photographer and film maker Richard Kern was born in North Carolina in 1954. He acquired an understanding of photography by accompanying his father, who was both editor and photographer for a local newspaper, on news assignments. After graduating from the University of North Carolina in 1977 he moved to New York City where he fell in with the underground arts scene that also included the likes of David Wojanarowicz, Lydia Lunch, Nick Zedd and Lung Leg. In 1985, as part of 'The Cinema of Transgression' movement, he started to make a name with his low budget films, such as 'Manhattan Loves Suicides', that showed the seedy, drug fuelled counter culture of Reagan's America. In 1986, working with Lydia Lunch and based upon her sexual fantasies, he made the infamous 'Fingered'. Along the way - Kern has found time to published several photographic monograms and produce music videos for Sonic Youth and Marilyn Manson. It could be argued that Kern's style of photography is a continuation of themes inherent within the cinema of transgression. He tends not to favour the conventional photographic studio - finding that sterile - his 'studio' is his own New York Apartment. Here his models often pose in the kitchen, bathroom, lounge, backyard and bedroom where they can be caught, via Kern's camera, using action-men dolls as dildos, chewing on a packet of birth control pills, urinating, smoking cigarettes held between toes or taking off tights - tights, stockings and feet play a large part within the mise en scène of Kern's images. His images have found homes within the pages of magazines, such as Hustler, and art galleries around the world, such as London's prestigious ICA. People react to Kern's images in the same way that they react to Marmite - one either loves them or hates them. They continue to divide and polarise opinion - James Gardner of The New York Post has said that "There's a moral element to Kern's work," whereas Sarah Kent, in Time Out London, hated the work, exhibited in London's ICA, to the point where she asked of her readers "Why is the ICA showing this nasty rubbish? Should this man be walking free?" This coffee table 280 page monograph is published in hardback and has been edited by Dian Hanson. It opens with a single page introduction, entitled 'Detention', by Richard Prince. Other than that there is no further text - have Taschen taken note of my preference for letting the photographs speak for themselves without the burden of pretentious essays trying to speak for them? Doubtful - but it is a welcome change and Hanson and Taschen should both be applauded for resisting the temptation. The photographs are, with but a few exceptions, displayed one per page and printed to the same high standard that one has come to expect from Taschen. In way of a bonus - 'Action' comes with an hour long DVD. Entitled 'Extra Action' this comprises of film made by Kern that has a specially written score by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore. The film is a series of photoshoots, set to experimental music, and split into 7 chapters - BBB, Insert, Legs, Misc, Rub, Wet and YG. Also included on the DVD is an extract from a black and white experimental short film entitled 'Hardcore' As stated above - as with Marmite one either loves or loathes Kern's work. I happen to love Marmite. Try it for yourself and make up your own mind. Review by Christopher John Ball ***** Rating Purchase the 'collectors edition' from www.boutiqueofunique.com |
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True Decadence - The Erotic Art of Franz Von Bayros and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's Venus in Furs - Edited by Rebecca Roberts-Hughes. Published by The Erotic Print Society. 224 pages. ISBN 978-1-904989-37-0 Billed as two books in one - True Decadence combines Sacher-Masoch's (1836 - 1885) infamous novella 'Venus in Furs' with the artworks of Von Bayros (1866 - 1924). 'Venus in Furs' tells the story of the masochistic, or as the male protagonist describes it suprasensual, relationship between Severin von Kusiemski and Wanda von Dunajew. Requesting that she treats him as her slave, Wanda is encouraged by Severin to treat him in a manner that becomes increasingly degrading. Their relationship dynamic changes when Wanda becomes the submissive of another man - resulting in Severin no longer being able to draw satisfaction from submitting to her. In an ending that has been interpreted as being either feminist or misogynistic, depending upon the politics of the interpreter, Severin concludes that women should be subordinate to men until the time arises that women are equal to men in education and rights. The novella draws heavily from Sacher-Masoch's own life experiences and it is from his name that the term 'masochism' is drawn. The character Wanda was based on the writer Fanny Pistor. The two met when Pistor, under the fictitious title Baroness Bogdanoff, contacted Sacher-Masoch for advice on how to ready some of her writings for publication. Sacher-Masoch, an Austrian, was of the utopian school of thought that was popular at the time and often promoted socialist and humanist ideals in his writings. Franz von Bayros was an Austrian artist who, like Edvard Munch, Oscar Wilde and Aubrey Beardsley - to whom his work is often compared - associated himself with the 19th Century 'Decadent' movement. The term was initially meant as a derisory label, first coined by critics of the movement, but the artists and writers soon appropriated the title and made it their own. Franz von Bayros is perhaps best known for the controversy caused by the publication of his portfolio 'Erzahlungen vom Toilettentisch' ('Tales at the Dressing Table'). Following a court case - von Bayros found himself persecuted by police in Munich and he was forced into exile from Germany. Sadly his attempts to publish his art in other cities caused further controversy and, finding his work banned, he was 'encouraged' to move from one country to another. The volume has been collated and edited by Rebecca Roberts-Hughes. The version of 'Venus in Furs' published in True Decadence is from the 1921 translation by Fernanda Savage - courtesy of Project Gutenberg. Roberts-Hughes contributes a 4 page introduction to the book along with 3 short essays entitled 'The Garden of Venus', 'Pagan Goddesses and Cruel Women' and 'Power and Play.' The introduction delivers interesting historical and biographical insights into the world of von Bayros and Sacher-Masoch whilst the three essays explore the relationships between selected images and text. The examples Roberts-Hughes has selected from the artwork of Franz von Bayros compliment Sacher-Masoch's text perfectly. The monochromatic illustrations in the paperback version are, for the most part, reproduced to a standard that allow something of the delicate quality of von Bayros's art and technique to percolate through to the viewer. Indeed it is the wonderful images contained within this volume that make True Decadence an essential purchase - even if you already have a copy of 'Venus in Furs' on your shelf True Decadence is published in three editions:- A paperback book version, a collector's hardback bound version with a dust jacket (limited to 1250 numbered copies) and a deluxe hardback bound edition with a dust jacket and supplied with a fine art print (Jupiter and Europa) in card folder (limited to 475 numbered copies). As indicated above - it is the paperback version that has been reviewed here. Review by Christopher John Ball **** Rating Find this book at the EPS website Here |
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Solange ich Liebe - Published by Edition Reuss, 1997 ISBN 3-9805017-2-8 It does take a very
special selection of photographs to really light my rather jaded fire.
Though ten years old, this book is still in print and deserves to be for
it is a very special book. The title translates
as “As Long as I Love”. I regret that unlike more modern,
three language books from the Edition Reuss stable it is all in German.
All the pictures have poems with them by the very young Matthias Reuss
and the typography is a visual pleasure. The book is the work of three
photographers, Wibke Reimann, Matthias Reuss and Rolas Simulis. It is
also interesting to see a major publisher of books of erotic photography
put his own work before the world, it also shows that he understands what
he publishers. Review by China Hamilton ***** Rating |
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On Form by Andreas H. Bitesnich published by teNeues Publishing (UK) Ltd. ISBN-10: 382384556X Austrian photographer Andreas H. Bitesnich, born in 1964 in Vienna, is deservedly well known for his stunning black-and-white photographs of the nude but in his latest book 'On Form' he also turns his eye to colour. The majority of the photographs are made in the studio and share the same 'classical' and 'romantic' sense of composition Bitesnich is noted for and, apart from one model who is an amputee, the subjects are all examples of sublime Nietzschean "ubermensch" perfection - if you are familiar with his previous books, such as 'Woman' (reviewed below), you will already be aware of the type of models Bitesnich is attracted to photographing. The models, both male and female, are oiled, lit, composed and sharply focused to emphasise their sculptural perfection - though, it could be argued, at the expense of their character. The publishers state that it was Bitesnich's intention to focus on the 'contours and surfaces of the human body' so that it is 'transformed into a timeless work of art.' The images of Lisa G take this to the next level as her oiled body and blank expression makes her appear as if sculpted from latex not flesh. The book dispenses with the usual 'introduction' so typical with art/photography monographs and instead reprints comments, in several languages, on the work of Bitesnich taken from articles from magazines such as 'Black and White' and 'Photo.' This is a large format, hard covered, coffee table book and its 176 pages are beautifully printed to an exceptionally high standard that does full justice to the photographs contained within. If you are a fan of the work of Bitesnich you will not be disappointed in having 'On Form' as part of your collection. Review by Christopher John Ball. ****
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Fetish Photo Anthology Volume 5 This latest edition of the soon to be published Fetish Photo Anthology 5 features the work of dozens of photographers, drawn from an international pool, who work within the fetish genre and it is pleasing to find that this list includes Association members Hector Heathwood, China Hamilton and Robert Babylon. The Association has seen a preview copy of the publication and it is this that is being reviewed here. There is always a danger in a collection devoted to one genre that the experience may become repetitive for the viewer. Fetish Photo Anthology 5 avoids this because, unlike so many 'collections' one finds on the bookstore shelves these days, Fetish Photo Anthology 5 has clearly been put together with great care by an editor who understands and loves the 'genre'. In this case - Jürgen Boedt of Secret Magazine. Images are placed together with thought for what has proceeded and the book flows gently, seductively, intelligently and with humour. Within its 350 pages each 'chapter' is dedicated to one artist with the majority of images being displayed one per page on a black background. This gives the work room to b |