Africa is pleasing herself by Joe Pollitt

Is Art more pornography these days? The lines have become so blurred. Back in the days of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele in Vienna a Century ago, an artist could be sentenced to prison for such imagery and Egon certainly spent some time being banged up. 

http://egonschielelifeandwork.blogspot.co.uk/p/prison.html

AFRICA IS PLEASING HERSELF

The aim here is to achieve nothing more than to express physical beauty and the empowerment that pleasure can bring to an otherwise downtrodden existence. The works expressed here are not necessarily to do anything other than to change the skin colour and emphasis that the black, or brown skin is beautiful. The laying of sketches created by Egon and Gustav are to represent that change in our global perspective. The acceptance of African Beauty has now almost been taken for granted, no longer are black men and women seen as something exotic but more mainstream, more every day. Our attitudes towards Africa, people of colour, race and sexual orientation have changed dramatically over the past 100 years and so they should but in some quarters things have stayed the same. 

AFRICA IS PLEASING HERSELF

We are living is such exciting times. The world is changing and adapting to new found attitudes to race, religion, sex, global politics and we are beginning to have an overwhelming feeling of being ignored. That sense of being utterly powerless against the State and the omnipresent Machine. To demonstrate against our Leaders yet never heard only beaten by seemly invisible untouchable groups of bullies. It seems it is not enough to shock people anymore, you have to openly express your position through your nothingness, your naked self. Women are our strength, their sexuality breathtaking and the power to bring us all into this world. They are not to be feared or hated but more admired, seen for all their majestic glory. All women are beautiful once they have been spoken to with respect and honour. You can see the change in their eyes, how they shine so brightly when regarded as beautiful. Our decency comes from our women. See how they take strong stands for their men, their women and their children. Never come between a Moma Bear to her cubs she will rip you to shreds. This basic instinct is all we have left in our World where we are considered so expendable, replaceable and more as just a number than a name. 

AFRICA IS PLEASING HERSELF

AFRICA IS PLEASING HERSELF

The population some countries have is staggering, frightening, the numbers are so vast and casualties so staggering it is beyond human comprehension. Those in power are utterly ruthless, they see people as numbers and statistics. Feasibility studies to make 95% happy at the expense of the 5% is acceptable but when the numbers go into the billions that 5% becomes a noticeable mass of people. Power has increased by 1000% since my birth and mentality around the world has become unhuman, no longer are we seen as human beings but more numbers on pie-charts, we have become invisible, we have been reduced to next to nothing. Art can make us been seen, make us visible if we just know how to use it. Art is Power. It is the light so desperately needed in our otherwise darkest days. I present to you my Art as an awaking of the spirit that lies deep inside you all. See for yourselves how beautiful you can be. Liberate yourselves from that ugliness that stares you in the face. We see our beauty lies inside us as much as it is skin deep. The power of nudity is shocking to some but to those that are shocked hurdle your fears and see your naked self as wild, animalistic and free.

AFRICA IS PLEASING HERSELF

AFRICA IS PLEASING HERSELF

AFRICA IS PLEASING HERSELF