~ Thematic Exposure Tutorial ~

Meg blogged last week about her project for the “Thematic Exposure” tutorial with Andy Spence (looting & archaeological sites). I’m also in that class, and I’m feeling pretty pumped about my project.

As a refresher, we’re spending the first 7 weeks of class working on a time-based exhibit, and the second 7 weeks on a culture-based exhibit. I’m still developing my theme and narrowing things down right now, but sex and erotic art are my broadest focus. I’m interesting in exploring the eternal presence of sex and why it is the subject of moral debate, given that it always has and always will be practiced. Has the representation of an intimate act in a public form (art) shaped our views at all?

For my first piece, I’m working with vintage photographs. The picture above was taken by Bellocq, a photographer from the early 20th century who took photos of prostitutes in Storyville, the legal red light district of New Orleans. He was friends with these women, and captured them in a natural way (particularly given the stiff, posed nature of portraits at this time). His images are really beautiful.

I’m excited to narrow my focus and see where my exhibit goes from here.

Holly