A lot of things have happened in 2020 (and we’ve not even hit Pumpkin Spice season yet!).
HOWEVER, FRET NOT, this blog post isn’t about politics or pandemics or, heck, even Tiger King. NOPE, it’s about boobs or, more specifically, their frequency in our art and culture, our social media, our… plant pots?
Continue reading for more “boob talk” and loads of INTERSPERSED (fancy word, I know!) cool boob art by loads of cool people.
WELCOME TO BOOB-OCALYPSE
BOOB ART: A Summary
boob art, noun: ‘visual or physical art that features the female breast; this can be used for aesthetic, as a source of empowerment and pride, or as a way of claiming back one’s sexuality and sexual liberation.’
THE PINK AND RED (Scotland, UK)
“Celebrating the female form and its diversity.”
– Amy, THE PINK AND RED
FLASHBACK TO 2017
My first introduction to the unique phenomenon of “boob art” came, as so many things that titillate me and have me questioning my entire existence do: Instagram. Yes, I was indulging my daily busride stalk of celebrities and style icons (and dog videos ofc) when I came across a plant pot with a baby fejka in it but, instead of a normal flat pot– one lacking any breasticles and nipples– my eyes were met with a rather curvaceous pot (literally!).
I remember it vividly. There were so many thoughts running through my head: Was this risqué pot allowed on Instagram?! Surely, it was breaching some sort of ridiculous nudity clause?!
Surely, the Karens of the internet would have reported this stunning pot by now?! Apparently not– thank the Goddess above!
Kiersten Kreates Art (Florida, USA)
“I appreciate the beauty in women’s bodies and try to reflect that, boldly and loudly, in my goddesses.”
– Kiersten, Kiersten Kreates Art
FLASHFORWARD TO NOW
In the three years since, boob art has proliferated to a somewhat remarkable degree; think Etsy, Urban Outfitters, Monki, and seemingly every independent boutique in major cities– they all sell some variety of boob paraphernalia. It’s maddening (and so so empowering!).
the tits (Brixton, UK)
“Hating the way you look is boring. We’ve been feeling shit about our bodies for too long. Time to celebrate them!”
– the tits
Some say boob art is a logical outgrowth of third wave feminism and the Free the Nipple campaign, which was created in 2012 during pre-production for the 2014 film of the same name. The campaign seeks to bring attention to the gender inequality surrounding topfreedom and the general convention that allows men to appear topless in public while considers it sexual or indecent for women to do the same.
Other nudo-gender issues that fall under this title: breastfeeding in public, (post-) birth giving, health (e.g., breast cancer awareness, post-mastectomy), or acts of protest.
THIS IS FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE AT THE BACK: BREASTS AND NIPPLES ARE NOT INHERENTLY SEXUAL. STOP MAKING THEM SEXUAL 24/7.
BOOB ART: Some history
The unclothed breast has been subject of art since at least 30,000 BC, if the Venus of Willendorf (the first Paleolithic sculptural representation of women discovered in modern times, found in Lower Austria in 1908 by archaeologists) is anything to go by. It’s also fair to say that the Greeks and Romans dedicated a significant portion* of their time to getting the topless female form exactly right.
*Other significant portions of time were spent nailing the male form (and his respective sculptures!) and building the pyramids and the roads and creating writing systems, yada yada yada.
Interestingly, in Naked Truths: Women, Sexuality and Gender in Classical Art and Archaeology, Beth Cohen writes that the several female nudes that have been preserved from the Classical era are “but footnotes” compared to the far greater amount of preserved male nudes– do I sense… favouritism?
Pleasure Pots (Manchester, UK)
“Everyone has different colour, size, and shaped boobs (and willies!)! They’re all beauties!”
– Silver, Pleasure Pots
Additionally, while total female nudity was generally taboo during the 5th century (shock!), partial disrobing to reveal only the one breast on otherwise draped female figures became a popular visual symbol in later periods.
From there, it’s a hop, skip, and a jump to full frontal nudity being acceptable in public– isn’t it?! C’mon!!!
SO, how did a fully nude set of boobs, separated now from their corporeal owner, become the de rigueur accessory of 2020?
BOOB ART: Some explanations
Boob art isn’t meant to be sexual, but it is, somehow, unabashedly sexy, daring observers to be scandalised.
Since the Free the Nipple campaign in 2012 and Ireland’s abortion debate in 2018 (to name only two dates!), people are becoming increasingly aware of the inequality that exists around female autonomy (i.e., women don’t have full control, or independence, of their bodies and human rights). This awareness, in turn, contributes to the increasing attempt to normalise both: (1) female nudity through a non-sexual lens and (2) women having (and talking about their) sexual needs and desires. PREACH!
First wave feminism gave us the vote; second wave feminism scored us autonomous cultural and political identities; and third wave feminism brought us… boob plant pots and free (but chilly!) nipples?
Tuttmakaren (Haparanda, Sweden)
Boob art, therefore, feels like a logical outgrowth of this modern development (can we even call it that?!). After all, to paraphrase the Guerrilla Girls: why do women have to be naked to get into the Met Museum, or clothed to walk down the street outside of it?
Being naked and having your boobs out can be empowering af and boob art (and similar boob-ified products) can be enjoyed, purchased, and adorned by people who use them as a form of self-empowerment, pride and agency.
Pot Yer Tits Away Luv (Leeds, UK)
“It’s a wonderful day to take nudes!”
– Emma, Pot Yer Tits Away Luv
Through their adornment, the wearer is able to claim their breasts as public, self-defined, and visible, rather than objectified, private, and exploited– what’s not to love?!
Boob art is a form of sexual liberation that I hope is here to stay!
AESTHETIC OR VIRTUE SIGNAL:
The Big Boob Picture*
*not to be confused with The Big Boob Picture (which is that big boobs are just as good as small boobs!).
I love boobs. Who doesn’t? They’re fab. I’d have boobs covering every single surface of my house if it weren’t for my housemate and the fact that I’ve not found the perfect boob wallpaper yet… one day…soon…
HOWEVER, in this discussion of boob art, it crossed my mind that, to some people, boob art is merely an aesthetic, similar to that of animal print or Scandi, rather than a message about women’s rights– a virtue signal, if you may.
tits & bitz (Leeds, UK)
“My main inspiration for my work is women; even when this whole fucking system is built to our disadvantage, we still blossom and continue.”
– Moll, tits & bitz
virtue signal, noun: ‘the action or practice of publicly expressing opinions or sentiments intended to demonstrate one’s good character or the moral correctness of one’s position on a particular issue.’
Society of Vulvas (Utrecht, Netherlands)
Boob art’s evolution into mainstream Insta-bait and home decor seems to stem partly from the Body Positivity social movement, which has been publically supported by many celebrities and social media influencers over the years.
The Boob Pot Co. (London, UK)
“Celebrating the female form and its diversity: the weird, wonky, and wonderful!”
– Esmé, The Boob Pot Co.
In the post-‘Love Your Body Because You Only Have One’ era, and during yet another rollback of female reproductive rights (I’m looking at you, US!), it’s super easy to see the appeal of festooning your home in art that sends a message about women’s right to take up space in public life. STILL, boob art sometimes feels less like activism than a visually pleasing virtue signal.
After all, as a wise lady once told me: if it’s for sale, it’s probably not feminism *sigh*.
It is true: sex sells, doesn’t it? Well, forget sex; the Roaring Twenties (yikes!) are about boobs and only boobs. Need something to appeal to consumers and go out of stock within an hour or two? Whack a pair of boobs on it. Go on, I dare you.
SO, where does this leave boob art? Is it the tangible manifestation of feminism, or its demise?
Regardless of whether boob art is an act of feminism, in my opinion, anything with tits on imbues me with such a sense of empowerment that I can confidently say I could women-splain for hours and hours and hours!
“You don’t know how to open that jar of strawberry jam? Uh-oh. Well, see here, if you just put your ego to bed for one moment and open your mind to all of the possibilities… yeah, a female President… mmm, women getting paid more than men… OH, there we go! Good boy! Look at that! You did it! That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
*puts on pair of boob earrings*
*conquers world*
Sophie Charnley Design (London, UK)
Boobs have been the subject of art, poetry, music, news articles, speeches, criticism, adoration, and so much more. They’ve been poked and prodded and groped and caressed by men, women, and non-binary folk alike since the beginning of time. Heck, the mere existence of the nipple has sparked political debate for DECADES.
If I’ve learnt anything in my decade of “having boobs”, it’s that boobs rock and need to be looked after. Give them the attention they deserve: paint murals, write sonnets, make cushions, compose… raps?
Walker & Webb Textiles (Hampshire, UK)
But, above all, appreciate the pair you have.
There you have it: A History of Boob Art and Its Place in Modern Society. You’re very, very welcome.
(I’m going to leave you with the image of the comfiest cushions ever made, *adds to Christmas list*).
Yours quite honestly,
Jen
#intriguedbeyondwords
Jen sait quoi 