Family Jewels

After releasing the Thingness Collection I could see the public reaction towards each piece of body, as expected most people were attracted by the Eyes, scared and intrigued by Teeth while Boobies soften most people but made some quite angry.

Giving the playful and naive representation of them I honestly did not expect them to trigger such violent feelings in people. I thought in 2020 we would not be still in a world where female nipples, are still seen as something forbidden. I will not go back into the nipple talk as you can read more about it here, but I must say that seeing all of this anger towards something natural, that should have been accepted already, made me think there's still so much more work to do.

If with the Thingness collection the aim was to use humor as a tool of acceptance towards our being things and seeing our body parts as objectified, even though charged with strong symbologies, with the Family Jewels collection a playful vibe, vibrant pastel colors and a naive atmosphere, definitely far from vulgarity, uses humor and deception as a way to smash the taboo.

We live in an Era where we flaunt to be equal and free, but where at the same time mechanisms similar to before the sexual revolution of the 60s are still in auge.

I used to live in Holland, where sex is everywhere, sometimes even too graphic and eccessive for matters of taste and intimacy, there I never felt like it was my place or that there was the need to approach sexuality in the themes I researched.

Since I am back in Italy I was surprised to see how sex can be still seen as something dirty or unnatural and the lack of sexual education of most people, probably due to the strong influence of the Church.

We are raised in a world where Phallic symbols are everywhere, throughout history, illustration of dicks are in every wall of every city, it does not even necessarily link to sex anymore, but to strength, to mark a territory and of course stands for virility. 

For what concerns Vaginas is a totally different story!

I've had the pleasure to read 'Vagina Monologues' where Eve Ensler explains well the awkwardness that there is still around the word Vagina and how often the first to be uncomfortable with the term and firstly with the organ itself are women, it's time to get rid of this burden, Vaginas are great. 

It's about time to accept our bodies, and the best way to make a taboo go away is speaking out about it, make people get used to it.

As if with penises there was no question of its playful representation, with Vaginas the deal was completely different and the research to find a perfect shape for it was way longer and intricate.

Vaginas look a bit like cozy meaty flowers, something uncanny, but welcoming and familiar that we all know but did not draw yet. I wish Vaginas could Become a symbol of Creation and of care, instead of something you wish not to mention.

"Let's just start with the word Vagina.
Vagina.
It sounds like an infection at best.
Maybe medical instrument
"hurry, nurse, bring me the Vagina."
Vagina.
Vagina.
It doesn't matter how many times you say the word, it mever sounds like a word you want to say.
It's a completely ridiculous, totally unsexy word.
(...)
I'm worried what we call it and don't call it.
In great neck, New York, they call it a "Pussycat".
A woman told me there, her mother used to tell her, "don't wear panties, dear, underneath your pajamas, you need to air out your Pussycat."
In Westchester, they call it a "Pookie".
In New Jersey, a "Twat".
There's "Powder Box",a "Poochi",a "Poopi", a "Pee-pee", a "Poopalu",a "Pooninana" and a "Piche".
There's "Toadie", "Dee-dee", "Nishi", "Dignity", "Coochie Snorcher", "Cooter", "Labbe", "Gladys Siegelman", "Va", "Wee-wee", "Whorespot", "Nappy Dugout", "Mongo", "Monkey Box", "Pajama", "Fannyboo", "Mushmellow", "Ghoulie", "Possible", "Tamale", "Tottita", "Connie", a "Mimi" In Miami, a "Split Knish" in Philadelphia.
And a "Schmende" In The Bronx.
I am worried about Vaginas.

['Vagina Monologues', Eve Ensler]