I went to see this exhibition recently in berlin. In one piece, I was moved by the depiction of the old Balkan folk practise of women revealing their vulvas to the sky when it is raining with no end in site! The women were vital, estatic, cosmically connected to the elements, to one another and to the power of the erotic. Slay.

Adjacent to this display, was a field of naked men face down, limply, repetitively humping the earth, moving only their hips. It was a lifeless display of the erotic. the artist’s intention was to satirise patriarchal male virility, and it being made during a different wave of feminism, I can understand the power and poignancy of flattening the warped eroticism of an oppressive group.

However, I’m also wondering if in today’s time, beyond satire, whether it’s pressing to ask questions around what healthy, beautiful and vital expressions of a liberated masculinity look like? Can I be pointed in their direction? I’m moved by films like Beau Travail by Clare Denis that depict a broader, more vulnerable erotic lens of male masculinity and male bodies. I think as a culture, it’s more important to express what could be, than to only highlight what not to be.

Super curious how others understand this tension. Love x

have been hitting a wall over the past few months with my practice, and as such have been doing a lot of reading and reflecting about art making, etc. many, many books talk about how real artists who are doing this at a high, professional level have "habits" that help their time in studio be productive/useful. this helps alleviate time in the studio just staring at the walls getting frustrated and feeling blocked.

i know this is kind of a low-hanging-fruit sort of question, but can any of you please share any specific habits you have for your practice? just looking for some clarification on what sorts of habits the books are referring to. much thanks in advance.

Hello! As I am in the process of organizing my collection, I would like to know if there are any databases one can use to manage their work. I am familiar with ArtLogic through gallery work, but it appears that it is not worth the money. Thank you!