A Celebratory Sex-Paralysappeal
A magnificent room of toasting lines sharp and curved alike to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Sex-Paralysappeal by Wilhelm Freddie.
Sex-Paralysappeal cost its artist 10 days in prison and his sculpture was removed by the police, when it was first exhibited. It was kept in custody until 1963.
A certain declaration keeps popping up in public debate that it is the provocation, which pushes art forward and makes for a history of art.
Which is a piece of tosh and usually made by someone posing as provocateur as his (only possible?) claim to the grand tradition. An artwork living for provocation alone burns out when the first shock wears off.
The great artworks in history have provoked qua their form and/or content. The provocation comes from breaking new ground qua artwork to create new ideas and form new, much needed concepts of life as in the case of Sex-Paralysappeal, its artist and his fellow Surrealists.
Their works are hardly provocations today, yet they continue to be of inspiration not least to the cartoonists seeing the Surrealists were using figurative elements to visualize what wants to remain unseen. The juxtaposition of lines as we see them below is a direct descendant of the juxtaposition of elements in three dimensions of works such as today's birthday child.
Here's to the next 80 years!
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| Per Marquard Otzen, January 21, 2016. Per is to be seen at the far back, No. 3 from the left. |
