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I originally created this piece while I was thinking about a theme for a competition that was going to be held at a local art gallery. The theme was "The Erotic in Art", but the show was cancelled due to internal problems in the gallery and its leadership at the time. Still, I kept the piece, figuring it could be used again. My intention while thinking about the original theme had been to create something that could be sexual, but wasn't blatant or shocking or pornographic (although when the husband of one of my coworkers finally did see it, he was a little shocked. I believe his words were, "It's so... ...vaginal...") My opportunity to exhibit the piece came early in 2002 when the same gallery that had proposed and cancelled the Erotic show announced a new themed competition called "A Celebration of Womanhood." I wasn't a fan of the theme, since, being a product of the battles my mother's generation fought, I generally don't see any need to celebrate womanhood any more than I see a need to celebrate manhood, dogfood, or brushing my teeth (but those politics are for another piece at another time, perhaps); however an exhibition is an exhibition, and the chance to show my work and possibly win a little money in the meantime is what drove me to take this piece in. And I won an Honorable Mention for my effort. My mother loves this piece. Somehow, I don't think she would if she stopped and thought about the symbolism. She is a little bit conservative sometimes. |