Press Release – Rotterdam, July 2007
Forthcoming program at Witte de With
BODYPOLITICX
EXHIBITION
8 Sep – 16 Dec 2007
"A censor is someone who knows more than he thinks you ought to."
(Lawrence Peter)
Why does pornography have such a bad reputation? Everybody has an
opinion about porn. Most profess not to like it and many claim to have
never even seen any. But can pornography be avoided in a world of
increasingly sexualized magazines, films, commercials and websites?
Additionally, whilst the question "what is porn?" may seem
straight-forward, beyond a technical or dictionary definition, it
remains almost impossible to answer.
This group exhibition does not seek to provide one simple response. Nor
does it take sides in the for-or-against debate about pornography.
Instead, in a specially conceived setting that combines artworks with
artifacts, BODYPOLITICX poses further questions: Does porn symbolize
patriarchal structures and the oppression of women? Are porn films a
reflection of existing social and sexual relationships? What is taboo
when everything around us is sexualized and yet sexual practices remain
un-discussable? Is pornography to blame for the destruction of sexuality?
In Europe during the Middle Ages, sexuality was an unknown concept.
Sexual intercourse and masturbation were taken for granted and were not
stigmatized with shame. Irrespective of gender, satisfying one's desires
was seen as a way to remain healthy. Not until the 16th century – with
the beginnings of industrialization, the division of labor and hence a
greater emphasis on social - and self-control – was a lack of sexual
discipline declared taboo, and sexuality banished to the private domain.
The concept of 'modern pornography' arose with the expansion of printing
during the 18th century. Initially it was used by free-thinkers as a
tool to criticize the religious and political authorities, and was not
primarily intended as a means of sexual stimulation. Only with advancing
industrialization and the invention of photography did pornography
become a category in its own right.
Due to its socio-political history, pornography is an ideal field for a
project such as BODYPOLITICX. With a focus upon the 20th and 21st
centuries, this exhibition takes a contemporary look at an age-old
fascination, seeing sex through the eyes of over 70 artists,
film-makers, activists, photo-journalists, musicians and magazine
editors. By means of visual juxtaposition, the exhibition sets out to
examine the demarcation of the sex industry, subculture, pop,
performance and art. BODYPOLITICX asks: If we have learnt from
Shakespeare what love is, what can we learn from the cultural practice
of pornography?
For further information, please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] or +31 (0)10 411 0144.
Curated by
Florian Waldvogel
Thomas Edlinger
Artists
Louisa Achille, Nic Andrews, Joanna Angel, Kenneth Anger, Fernando
Arias, Martin Arnold, James Avalon, Fiona Banner, Thomas Bayrle, Ge
Beckman, Belladonna, Marc Bijl, Andrew Blake, Angela Bulloch, Tom Burr,
Bruce LaBruce, BUTT magazine, Marilyn Chambers, Club 90, Gerard Damiano,
Nathalie Djurberg, Marcel Duchamp, Elmgreen and Dragset, Maria Eichhorn,
Andrea Fraser, General Idea, Jean Genet, Girls Like Us, Garry Gross,
Guerrilla Girls, Sachiko Hanai, Roswitha Hecke, Dorothy Iannone, Robert
Indiana, Jenna Jameson, William E. Jones, Richard Kern, Edward & Nancy
Kienholz, Terence Koh, Stanley Kubrick, Yayoi Kusama, Michael Laub, Zoe
Leonard, Joep van Lieshout, Tracy Lords, Joseph Maida, Robert
Mapplethorpe, Dorit Margreiter, Dona Ann McAdams, Eon McKai, Olaf
Metzel, John Miller, Jim and Artie Mitchell, Otto Muehl, Robert Mueller,
Bruce Nauman, Henrik Olesen, Panik Qulture, Haris Pellapaisiotis, Dean
Proctor, Iwata Roku, Martha Rosler, Doug Sakmann, Carolee Schneemann,
Snoop Dogg, Valerie Solanas, Annie Sprinkle, SUPERM, Paul Thomas, Paul
Verhoeven, Erik Visser, Lawrence Weiner, Octavio Winkytiki, Johannes
Wohnseifer, Nick Zedd.
Opening
Friday 7 Sep 2007
6:00 p.m. Exhibition opens
7:30 p.m. Welcome by Nicolaus Schafhausen and a short introduction by
the curators.
8:00 p.m. Roundtable discussion with Jürgen Brüning, Olaf Metzel, Joep
van Lieshout, Thomas Bayrle, Panik Qulture, Eon McKai.
10:00 pm Workshop with Juergen Bruening:
The Porn Ensemble presents The Porn Dialogue
11:30 pm Party with DJ Fritz Ostermayer at De Unie, Mauritsweg, Rotterdam.
Additional events for the opening weekend to be announced. Please see
www.wdw.nl for details closer to the opening.
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8/|\ ---------------------------------------------
/c_"/ Tatiana Bazzichelli [EMAIL PROTECTED]
//_/\__ web site: http://www.networkingart.eu
/ \ http://www.ecn.org/aha
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