Luis de la Cruz
Curator
It is one of the most obvious things in the world. Most of us might readily admit that we are predominantly under the control of sex, we have talked about it from the first day of intelligent consciousness, and now it is a trite subject. We consider sex as merely one of the old and staid factors in our make-up. The idea of sex has been so much with us that we have become too familiar with it. Its importance has been lost to our minds, just as the Internet has lost its startlingness and has become commonplace in our daily routine.
Erotica, as a human experience is like singing, dancing, walking or talking. It is as much a part of one’s total existence as sleeping. It is one of the emotional reactions that sets us apart from other animals and makes us human beings. The philosophies of different cultures regarding the erotic image may come as a surprise and shock to many people. The practices and attitudes may appear utterly alien and sometimes appalling offensive. Offensive they may well be, in some cases, but seldom are they alien. The differences in the historical developments are distinguished by cultural factors. Prevalent in all cultural developments is a natural craving for variety and extremity in sexual stimulation.
Can erotic art bring life into this lack of understanding?
No, but it can make us all realize that sex is universal.
Discussions on the sexual image in Mexican Cultural might interest us, but we are too accustomed to think of things as “right” or “wrong” and to miss other important aspects. A certain image may be right from the moral standpoint, and yet as far as context is concerned, it may have bad consequences that are lost to view. It may be surprising to some to be told that erotic art is the product of civilization in the nation, in the state, in the town and in the individual. Moreover, the censorship of erotic art, even though it may be worthy, is the great cause for the retardation of civilization in general. The feelings and emotions engendered by censorship become the predominant factor and produce a narrow mind-set based on issues of strict access in man’s life. We find people wanting about the same things and experiencing about the same feelings as in the past centuries. In other words, with all the advantages of modern civilized life, is the average person more sexuality free today than he was ages ago? Has man a better disposition on sex today than yesterday? We must report that the disposition of the human being has remained about the same. It appears that we are runners who have stopped at a certain barrier, for the most part we have failed to leap it. Only a few have cleared it and have made a little more out of their sexual natures than might be ordinarily expected in the course of a lifetime. Why have we stumbled and stopped at certain hurdles? The answer is – censorship.
Progress?
Step by step Mexicans have freed himself from various kinds of censorship. The crushing weight of religious dogma and oppressive govenment has been in measure alleviated around the world, while modern civilization has all but completely destroyed the tyranny of thrones and what now remains is a mere vestige of despotism. This sort of political freedom was one of the first great gains of human nature and so it is true in Mexico. It was one of the first great waves of reform that swept over the cruel places of oppression and earned for man the right to free thinking. We all know the very recent story of the staunch fight of woman for their rights. Political freedom, as seen in voting, was to break the bound to the commanding necessity of an arbitrary ruler. The breaking of the appalling bondage of ignorance has increased the mental stature of man many fold.
Many more examples might be given to show how man has, through the centuries, fought and won the recognition of his right to live a freer life. But as we consider carefully the various bonds that have been broken, it is seen that such changes refer to our outward mode of living, to a greater freedom in our actions and living conditions. They are changes in sociological conditions, and refer to more to the outer than inner aspects of life. The last great freedom into which man has come has been in respect to a freedom of choice and pleasurable manner of living.
There have not come corresponding inner changes. The layers of freedom have covered more of the outside rather than the inside of the human spirit. One may be freed from the rules of a despot, but inwardly his mind may be bound and limited. One may have the freedom to choose, but his mind may be hemmed in shortsightedness. One may be thoroughly learned in all the classics yet have a narrow vision. The mere granting of freedom for outward things or in conditions of society does not bring with it the corresponding mental freedom, but simply a rearrangement of prejudices resulting in censorship.
Newly found freedom…
We welcome the great gains that mankind has made in his fight for freedom of living conditions, but much more important is the freedom of one’s own inner, private mind. Changes in outward conditions certainly do not necessarily bring corresponding changes in inward conditions, but changes of inward conditions may take place with the gradual acceptance by society. The ladder changes constitute the stronger factor. It is here that the artist controls the throttle; it is from this source that the artist develops his will to interpret life, and so strong is this will that the individual may relate his own personality and identify with the reflected image of society. Today we are entering into the great stage of emancipation. We are going from outward to inward factors. It must go from social law to high values. Things that we can see and taste and touch are much easier to handle than those forces of the mind that are hidden away from the tangible forces of the world. With the presentation of Latin Visions: The Sensual & Erotic Art Walk we witness that it is natural that improvements in the conditions of society are necessary before we can improve our tendency for our own freedom of the mind.
Contact:
Theresa De La Cruz in USA,
714-538-0793, cell 714-851-5604,
email xart@aol.com
Nuit Hernandez in Puerto Vallarta,
Nuit Hernández – Office Manager,
Lifestyles Encounters México,
nuithernandez@prodigy.net.mx, www.lifestylesmexico.com
Tels. (01-322) 22 24880 & 044 322 29 42449, Fax. (01- 322) 22 39424,
Juárez 140, Centro, Puerto Vallarta, México
Alejandro Zenker Hackett in Mexico City, Solar,
Servicios Editoriales, S. A. de C.V.
Ediciones del Ermitaño, división editorial,
Calle 2 número 21 San Pedro de los Pinos,
03800 México, D.F., Tel. 5515-1657 (con 12 líneas),
zenker@solareditores.com , www.solareditores.com
Source: The XART Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, US www.xartgallery.com