So is it possible that porn can ever be considered art? Or perhaps we should use the more common term of erotica? Whatever is the case, it is something that I think about. I believe that it can be considered art, but it is a fine line to draw between the two.
What is the dividing line between porn and art? I suppose since most of porn is used as a masturbation tool by men, it would be hard to qualify it as art. And most porn, at least 90-95% in my opinion, is crude, ugly, and without any artistic value. Yet there is some porn, bathed in beauty and naturalness, which goes beyond the average run of the mill sex show. Perhaps those doing the camera work actually had a better artistic sense than most of the other people out there, or perhaps they were actually striving to make something which was somewhat different, even artistic. The actors, if they are actors, may possess a beauty and naturalness that others do not possess, and seem to genuinely be enjoying what they are doing. It is hard to say. But what separates a painting, or a film, or even a novel or poem, from some of the more high quality porn which is out there? You may say that porn exists only to entice a man to masturbate. Yet I know of at least one famous British classical scholar who used to masturbate to Plato when he was a boy, or is reputed to have done so. So every work whether explicit or not, may instill in someone some degree of arousal. For me the defining line would be “erotica” vs. “porn”. I suppose erotica has a higher aesthetic value, and porn is lowlier. Of course this is all subjective.
One of the questions I ask myself is, why is looking a porn or erotica sinful? Why does God consider it a bad thing if we view the natural act of two people having sex? Or what is wrong with enjoying the image of a nude? If God created the human body, why is it such a bad thing to enjoy the beauty of that body? This is a question which has challenged most Christians since the time of the Renaissance, even before, but most of all since the rebirth of Classical knowledge in art and literature. The nudes in Michelangelo’s fresco of the Last Judgment in the Sistine Chapel were only recently completely uncovered. I am sure one of the reasons that they were covered in the first place was that they were somehow instilling erotic and sexual thoughts in the clergy who had to view them every time they stepped into the Chapel.
I find this to be one of the tensions that exists in myself, and I image in most men at least, even those who are deeply religious or spiritual. We are filled with these desires, yet are told the desires are bad or harmful, or at least potentially destructive. Therefore we should avoid them. Yet avoiding them only increases the desires themselves. So where is the fine line? To completely deny our desires is as bad as completely giving in to them at all times. Am I really going to spend all eternity in hell because I looked at an image of naked woman and desired her? I suppose that will lead me into my next question, which is, where does one draw the line between lust and desire? But what is lust? What is the line between sinful or harmful desire and natural desire? I suppose that is something we must all figure out for ourselves.
The Chase 
Bricona said:
Hey man, what’s your blog about? Is it all about the fascination with sex and eroticism. That’s cool, I’m not hating. I’m just wondering what your overall theme is? Are you “chasing” skirts, having as much sex as possible? Or are you looking at erotic pleasure through a theoretical lens?
Just wondering. Love the layout. Do you know of Roissy?
http://roissy.wordpress.com/
He has some cool stuff and the same layout. Check him out.
vasafaxa said:
I think porn and romances novels have a lot of similarities. Both are in many ways wish fulfillment for the viewer. I think both can be art, if they transcend the desire to pander to satisfy the viewer and become something with restraint — in that the person is looking for something more than to peddle to other’s weaknesses and desires.
Racer X said:
Bricona, thanx. I suppose it is a little bit of each, although I am not so much into the chasing skirt thing at the moment, or having as much sex as possible. Certainly large chunks of my life have been taken up in those pursuits, but things are a bit too risky these days for that. I just enjoy writing about eroticism, sexuality, or writing erotica. Looking at erotic pleasure through a theoretical lens is a good way to describe this blog too. Or the overall fascination with sex and eroticism.
Women fascinate me. I love them. I want them. As many as possible. If nothing more, it is enjoyable to dream and write about such pleasures.
Racer X said:
Vassy,
Yes, porn and romance novels do have a lot in common. A lot of romance novels are quite graphic in their eroticism. But both appeal to this fascination so many of us have with human romantic and sexual relations, however graphic or tame they may be described or depicted. A romance novel is more likely to have artistic merits than an adult film, but I find a lot of erotic photography and some film have artistic merits, even though they are controversial. There is a fine line and much overlap between erotic art and porn.
Bling Bing said:
Sex is basic human need, like eating. Eating is not considered an art; watching people eat is not considered an art; letting people watch the process of eating is not considered an art. So I am guessing sex, watching porn, and doing porn are not considered artistic pursuits.
Films that are intended to stimulate the carnal desires only are probably not considered art to me; films that does more then that, despite having sex scenes, are considered art.
I think eroticism involves some form of feelings(not sure) whereas porn is just mechanical? Some people think that it depends on the viewers’ arousal to define whether it is porn or eroticism. But I think it should depend on the creator’s intention.
namae nanka said:
sex is not a need, everything else falls down.
vasafaxa said:
Um– why is eating not an art?
Bling Bing said:
@vasafaxa
Not sure why, but usually people don’t consider eating an art.
@namae nanka
I never thought sex is a need either. But I have been told many times that sex is a basic human need. So I kind of thought it was.
Racer X said:
Bling Bing,
I would consider sex a kind of art. It is a kind of art, both physical and emotional and spiritual. The best kind of sex reaches places that are beyond description, ethereal, transcendent. Not all sex is like that, perhaps not even most, but the best sex is. Usually there needs to be deep emotion, even love, for this to happen, but it is possible and it seems like “art” to me, however amorphous that term may be.
95% of porn cannot be considered to have artistic merits. However, there are some things, which may or may not considered at porn, which have artistic merits. How would I define that? It is hard to say, but there is certain beauty and quality and depth to these works which is lacking in most main stream porn. I can’t remember the name, but a film was made a few years ago which had a graphic sex scene, as graphic as anything in porn, yet it went beyond porn. For such things, there is fine line between porn and art. There is a photo on your blog which is both highly erotic, yet artistic. Some may consider it pornographic; I consider it more artistic. Yet it still appeals to carnal desires. And erotic photography is more likely to have artistic merits than porn. Talented people do participate in these industries, even if they are controversial and forbidden. Or perhaps because they are controversial and forbidden. As you said, the creator’s intention is important too.
Bricona said:
Thanx Racer, I’ll be reading up on you
namae nanka said:
probably for women, it is. case in point – female hysteria
Xamuel said:
Can Porn Ever Be Considered Art?
Yes.
Oh, god, yes!
YES!! Oh, yes, yes, yesssssssssss!!!! Mmmmmmmm, ohhhh yeaaahhhh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhh yeaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Yes, yes, yesss!
Bricona said:
I commented on this earlier, but had nothing to say about the subject and only inquired about the author. Yes, porn is art. It takes a vision, perspective, and progress. It’s painted and created. I’m talking as someone who’s worked to document and market porn (never actually had sex for porn) and there’s a lot of great companies who treat sex as art.
Naughty America with it’s one wide camera angle.
Bangbros with it’s usual first person point of view.
Lavish companies like Vivid who match the integrity of modern films.
Twistys, Abbey Winters, Amateur Allure, all have a vision that they want to create and give birth to.
(no pun intended)
Racer X said:
@ Bricona: “there’s a lot of great companies who treat sex as art.”
I think this is key for this discussion. If the creator is treating sex as art, then the product, the creation, has the potential for artistic merit. I am sure a lot of the photographers, film makers, producers, even the actors, have talents that go beyond what we would consider merely mundane porn. I think most porn is trash, but there are those exceptions, and you can see it in the quality of the film making, the photos, or the over all atmosphere. It is hard to define, and the genre makes it even more so, but I have always felt that there is at least some artistic merit in some of what would be considered “porn”, however small that sample may be.
Thanks for adding to this discussion. I will be writing more posts on this, since I find this an interesting topic.