Friday, January 18, 2008

Erotic Art and Orokie.

Who is Art for? This week I came across a thought on erotic art which said: “The fantasy of the viewer is most important. That is what makes a painting erotic. Erotic art is made to awaken the fantasies of the viewer.”

Is that true? I do not know. Partly, I feel it true. But it has the room freshener smell of post-modernism to it. You know, the author is dead and so the reader has free rein to live as s/he wants when criticising the work of art. Erotic art is made for a virtual world, one in which the viewer can fantasise. But of what? Of meeting the person in the picture? Of having sex with the body shown? Of entering a scene and bringing an intense and personal story to life. Like this:

It was a hot dark. He had taken refuge in the shadows of a stair-well. Here, he felt the dry heat of the sun being replaced by a liquid heat inside himself. A temperature that compelled him towards one deep, flowing action. Etc.


(Breyette)

Perhaps. Yet, I think that the erotic spirit is more than this. Look at this painting.

It came from a connection between model and artist. When there is some spiritual link with the model, when he agrees and feels very easy to model, then the drawing comes very beautifully, while my spirit gets very pleased through the creative process, as delightful as making love when both partners do wish so. Surely, this is what exists in an Orokie. Or I would like to think so. A feeling that a personal love has made the work and the viewer can touch that personal love. What the viewer creates is touched by the view that came from the love felt by the painter. I hope so.

That is what I want to give in my work…to a viewer…to a buyer.

4 comments:

BronzeBuckaroo said...

Perhaps I an not phrasing these words correctly,but, when an artist puts his heart and very soul into his work, it is evident in every way. Sometimes, it take another creative person to see the "heart and soul" of another artist's work. Other times, certain folks especially attuned can see and feel it.

Belasco's work, I don't consider it erotica. Why? His work has not to subtle messages of black pride, black gay pride in them. White men see nothing but sexual appendages on display. Brothers, see brothers not only loving one another, but dealing with life. Belasco's series of panels dealing with racism explains it all.

Your work reminds us of our collective strength, dignity, beauty, and the love a brother carries within himself that society tries so much to negate daily, especially within the larger gay community. Somehow, erotica is superseded in your art, like Belasco's, into a plain where there is a humanity in your work absent in erotica. No doubt this is because much of your affection and care for the brothers who are your subjects manifests itself in all your work.

Afriboy said...

I understand all in what you write.

John Powers said...

Thank you very much for leaving a comment on my blog. Generally I think nobody reads it, and sometimes I think I want it that way. Your visit however made me happy.

It's hard for a person of goodwill outside of Kenya to know how to be useful--although there are many obvious ways like donations. I will try to find ways to make your sales of art better known here.

Ethnic hatred and racism are clearly bad, but also clearly not something solved in a night and day. Your response in the face of cataclysm to create something good is inspiring and hopeful.

Afriboy said...

John Powers, welcome and thank you for your supportive comments. A friend told me of your site and the work that you do.