During some of my interesting discussions with Xanthropy, I am struck by the thought that although I am an Erotic Artist, who paints, amongst other things, erotic art (I’m stating the bleeding obvious here, but bear with me) I am also on a quest to find out what IS the true definition of “Erotic”. Simple, you would think.............. and yet it isn’t. I am constantly on the search for erotic things. But do I become too desensitised from erotic images because I analyse them so much, as its “work” for me. I hope not, but maybe....
Because it is slightly different for each of us, there is no “definitive erotic”, there is only a “specific but mirage erotic”. What on earth do I mean by that? ............Well, as erotic is slightly different for all of us, someone might find one image erotic but someone else won’t, they may find it too tame, or too pornographic for their tastes.
When I talk about “specific but mirage” - erotic IS specific, I could state various specific things that I would find erotic, but it could waver off the erotic in a mirage will-o-the-wisp sort of way, if something else is involved that I don’t find erotic. And sometimes it's actually the background to it that makes it erotic.
For example, the other night in the pub I was standing chatting to Xanthropy and he nodded towards a girl he referred to as “a Paris Hilton lookalike”. I looked over at who he was referring to, and realised I knew her very very slightly although I don’t know her name, I know a little of her background. Xanthropy’s opinion of her was low, because of the outfit she was wearing, plus he thought her too thin, he prefers a more curvaceous woman. My opinion was higher as I knew she wasn’t the tart he took her for. I thought her outfit was stunning, although outrageous in an acceptable way for a nice pub. Certainly she got away with it as she was very slim and young. A fatter or older woman couldn’t have carried it off. You’re now wondering what she was wearing, so I’ll describe it for you. She was wearing a black sleeveless tee shirt, which covered her breasts and came just below her bottom. But over the top of it was a shocking pink very loose singlet that hung down as far as her mid thighs, but because of the low slung design of it she was showing about an inch of pale thigh at the outside of her body between the black top and the pink singlet. She wasn’t showing anything sexual at all. But that little bit of pale thigh was very visible, sometimes a little more depending on how she was moving, and I found it very erotic and thought she looked great. Xanthropy disagreed with me and thought it tacky. I went over to her, she’d had a lot to drink, was in a group of people, and had her boyfriend and mum with her. I told her how much I liked the outfit and she thanked me. Her boyfriend said I was the first to say that to her, and I felt they both appreciated my comment. I went back to stand with Xanthropy and told him that I thought she looked really good. But I think that it was partly because I knew she had her boyfriend with her, (who couldn’t keep his hands off her and the gap in her dress by the way!). She wasn’t on the pull. She was having a nice night out. And for me, that made the outfit acceptable. And sexy. And erotic.
Its frissons of electrifying interest that make things erotic, for me. The odd word, or group of words, a look, an elicit touch, or all of those things put together. There is certainly a deep sensuality about it. I always describe erotic as subtle, and for me it is. Its not quite everything you want, its the chase but its a little held back, its a tease, a waiting, something that increases the wanting, a promise of something delicious and desirable on its way soon..... That’s how erotic is. For me.
It sounds like a Burlesque performance, and maybe it is.
And that’s what I try to draw.
6 comments:
Very thought provoking!
Hornymaleuk - Good!!!! :)
They always say less is more dont they. Nice post :)
Joanna - MMmmm... yes, they do! :)
And, thankyou.
Jackie I think it will be an eternal quest to define erotic, because as you rightly point out one persons erotic is another persons porn, or something that simply passes by unnoticed. A great deal also depends on the circumstances and the context as to whether something is erotic or not.
For example the young women in the pub, it seems as though her outfit could be classed as erotic in the context of a local pub setting, yet in a big nightclub somewhere she would perhaps be one of many and may pass almost unnoticed. Equally, a woman on a beach wearing a tiny string bikini may attract a huge amount of attention wearing something that could be classed as erotic, yet if the same woman was naked on a naturist beach then she perhaps wouldn't attract as much attention as she again becomes one of many, and without the attention grabbing bikini may pass without notice.
Well done you for telling her you thought she looked good, I am sure she really appreciated that as compliments can be thin on the ground from people we know, much less from those we don't!
I think if we set our mind to it, anything can be erotic and it doesn't even have to contain nudity or even the hint of nudity (although they would perhaps be the more obvious candidates), it could simply be a tone of voice, or the way something is done, for example the Burlesque dancer at the Guild removing even just her gloves now I am sure that was an erotic sight.
Whilst not quite the same, just look at the different views people had on whether I should be depicted aroused or not in my Tarse painting and that goes some way towards showing how difficult defining and agreeing on anything will be!
So really I think erotic is whatever we want and need it to be and perhaps what we find erotic today we wouldn't tomorrow as it all depends on how we feel at that moment. Or perhaps it is more the unexpected, you didn't expect to see a woman dressed like that in your pub, in the example I used of the woman on the beach you don't typically see that many tiny bikinis on our UK beaches so that would then be different and perhaps a little erotic.
Well who knows, as clearly I don't! Although I must say that your idea of erotic certainly sounds good! lol
Fitzy - I agree, it will be an eternal quest, as its is very subtle, and that's why I love it so much!
You make a good point regarding the young woman in the pub, in a city bar or nightclub she would have been totally acceptable. So its the contrast that makes it erotic, over the top or commonplace. More subtleties!
I will certainly make a helpful and positive comment to a stranger if I think it warrents it and I felt it did to her.
Yes, I think anything can be erotic, depending on how its done, and certainly it doesn't have to even contain nudity, that's true too!
Its always interesting to hear other peoples differing views on whether something is erotic or not, and what arousal is needed or not needed!
That's also true about erotic being what the moment is. It does differ on different days depending on what else is happening around us. I think the "unexpected" is certainly a very good way of defining it!
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