TATI: OK, Tony, my first question. Why did you tag this illustration as NSFW? I remember ASPHYXIATION and FELLAQUIO and I can see why they wouldn’t be safe to look at if your boss stands behind you. But this?
TONY: Hm. Because of the shape of the baby’s mouth. It’s actually a rather intimate part of the female anatomy that I’ve composited there.
TATI: Oh… really? This blot? Is it a vagina? Are you kidding me?
TONY: Oh, no, I’m not kidding in the slightest. You see, this was based on the disgust I felt after watching a documentary about child beauty pageants. The crass sexualisation of these young souls by their parents was all for the sake of winning… well, what? A cheap trophy? A ribbon? Prestige? What prestige? I was deeply offended that human beings would exploit their own flesh and blood in such a deplorable way.
TATI: Blah-blah-blah… Let’s stick to the topic, Tony. So, is it a baby inside a womb? Or is it just a face with a vagina-shaped mouth?
TONY: Hey! I’m spilling my guts here, lady! Couldn’t you be a wee bit more patient?
TATI: I’m rescuing your reputation, sir. Be grateful.
TONY: Fine. It’s the latter. A face with a vagina-shaped mouth. I was honestly hoping to shock people with the blatant juxtapositioning of these two elements, and get them thinking about why they found it so offensive. In short, I wanted to provoke discussion. As it turned out, no one really picked up on these themes anyway. So, I feel this illustration was a failure.
TATI: Why do you say this?
TONY: Perhaps it wasn’t clear that the baby’s mouth was a vagina. Frankly, visual communication is an ongoing challenge for me. I guess many artists struggle with this… or maybe I’m just not a very good artist. While I may render something a certain way, it doesn’t always mean that the themes I’m trying to convey are necessarily being received and understood as I intend them to be.
TATI: It wasn’t even clear that it’s a face. I guess you needed to put the picture vertical. Then your intent would be more clear. Didn’t you think of this?
TONY: Oh, I see! The egg trying to teach the hen, is that it? Yeah, I have a Bachelor of Visual Arts. And you?
TATI: I have eyes, don’t I? You over intellectualised this illustration.
TONY: Look, you’re probably right. I’m willing to concede that. But what would you have done?
TATI: Firstly, rotate it. And… maybe some details. Streaks of mascara would emphasize two things: crying and makeup. And a pacifier. It would show that the baby is an infant. (You probably like that. A vagina sucking a dummy. Old pervert!)
TONY: What the HELL?! NO! Why on earth would I like that? I think I know who the pervert is here, Tati, and it isn’t ME!
TATI: Just do this, baby. Make the changes. And then we can ask our dear readers who was right.
TONY: Why do I get the feeling we’re going to burn in hell for this?
TATI: Want to bet?
by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2017
You two are so funny!
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Hee hee! Fanks, Miriam! 😛
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Vertical is the verdict. Tati is right. Sorry, Tony! Or maybe it’s the screwed up Russian perception?
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Ha ha! No, it’s fine, really. I completely agree with her assessment too! Nothing screwed up with yours or Tati’s perception at all! 😀
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You don’t say! In Russia, everything is screwed up! They pull teeth through the backside.
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Holy crap! I’d better cover my bottom then! 😛
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Alternatively, don’t go to a Russian dentist.
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I’ll definitely keep that in mind! 😛
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🙂
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Pageants are bewilderingly grotesque, nevertheless a product of the times. My daughter, ever the pragmatist, tells me to think of them as simple games of dressing up and move on to something more interesting.
I’m cheered by the playful fluency of your interaction, even the daft explanations.
RR
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Your daughter has a wise head on her shoulders, I’m thinking. And thanks for visiting and commenting. Please do come back! 😀
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Funny story haha! Seems like people are trying to find anything offensive in art these days.
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I guess some people can find offense for the sake of being offended, can’t they! Thanks for your input, Jon! 🙂
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No problem Tony!
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Quirky.
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Fanks, Susanne! 😛
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I love it! 🙂 Its one of those pieces you could hang upside down and it would still slap you in the face … thats my kinda art 😉
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Gotta say, your comment makes me very happy. Thank you! 🙂
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Youre very welcome 🙂
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I liked the picture. Will I burn in hell too?
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We’ll protect you with high pressure water hoses! 😛
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Oh! So kind of you madam!
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The first thing I saw was a shape within the image that kinda resembled a vagina. As my eyes worked out from there, the lines wouldn’t line up to be a vagina in it’s proper location, so I figured something else was going on. I never saw the image of the baby until I read the other comments and looked back at it, and then the babies form was obvious. As to the title of the piece, “Is it art?” I think anything can be art. There will always be people that view the strangest of things to have artistic qualities. Yet, something being art isn’t as important as having it bring forth a reaction of some kind when being viewed. If the piece gets a reaction then it’s a success.
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You make a very good point actually. It’s the reaction that matters more really. Never mind if it’s art or not. That’s not what people look to art for in the first place. Not for academic reasons. They want to be made to feel something, no matter what that something is.
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Love this you two. The words, the colours, the message. Is is art? Yes of course and very clever.
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Mark, you rock. Thank you! 😀
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I seen the baby’s mouth to the left of the vagina because of where the curves meet. And I agree with you, these types of events are sexualizing kids. I thought it would stopped after the Ramsey case which is still so heartbreaking. Kids are beautiful just as they are, no contest needed. To even have them in these contests, I personally don’t know any parent that would do that.
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Sadly, I’m not surprised that this kind of things wasn’t stopped after that case. Children don’t really need to be pitted against one another over something as fundamental as their appearance. There’s something obscene about that to me.
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Tony, I totally agree with you
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