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Misattribution of Arousal

In 1974, Donald Dutton and Arthur Aron performed a study on what truly arouses people, whether environment has anything to do with it rather than just one stimulus. They had an attractive women cross paths with males in two different situations. They had the woman cross paths with one group of males while walking across a long bridge and the other group after they had crossed the bridge and had a moment to sit down and catch their breath. Though there are a lot of variables that were not accounted for in this study, the results are interesting. After the men crossed her path, she went up to them and gave them her number and told them to call her if they had any more questions about the study. The men that crossed her paths while walking across the bridge were more likely to call her rather than the men that had a moment to catch their breath. So potentially, the conditions on the bridge, such as the height, the breeze, the energy put into walking, etc combined to create a more alluring situation for arousal from this woman. If you think about attraction whether lust or simple arousal from someone, is it the situation or the person? I think everyone has moments when they are more susceptible to attraction. It could be weather such as heat or cold, or perhaps a scenery that brings out a certain mood. Some people find the beach to be very alluring or maybe the mountains. Taking this into account, it makes one question the reasoning for their attraction to the people that have sparked something in their minds. Perhaps this should be another aspect added into my project in terms of the settings for the photographs and also for how it will be viewed. I might be able to find a way to place people in a situation where they feel uncomfortable, but also somehow aroused at the same time.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misattribution_of_Arousal Misattribution of Arousal by E. Aronson 2005

Merlin Bronques

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Childhood Development(Birth to 5 Years)

Normal Stages of Human Development(Birth to 5 Years)
by the Childhood Development Center
http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/normaldevelopment.shtml

“There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again.” by Elizabeth Lawrence

This will be the beginning of breaking into different stages of development in children as they grow into adults. I want to explore this subject because I feel that it will tie into different aspects of my project. Anyway, the beginning years of life are really formative in the discovery of emotions, language, interaction with family and strangers, and motor ability. Their temperament begins to shine through more as to whether they are curious, easily irked, or very docile. These are the years where the child begins to learn more and more about his environment and retain that information. They begin to utilize their experiences and apply those to how they approach new situations, such as the age-old if it burns you, don't touch it again. The child begins to question whether to obey or disobey. They learn how to articulate how they feel and convey stories in a more lucid fashion. An interest in other children's bodies appears as they wish to explore each other's bodies. They try to learn what their bodies can do and what other children's bodies can do. Their feelings on sex can be affected by their experiences with other children, their parents, or regrettably in some instances strangers.

Gilbert and George

Gilbert and George are an artistic duo, one from Italy and one from England. They appear in their artwork a lot of the time, mixing very formal elements with a sexual undertone. They stick to a very similar format, an almost stained glass window look. The images are very graphic with a grid pattern in the background. The colors are bold and the subject matter always appear created in simple black lines. Some of their work contains a suggestion of Christian imagery. They have had shows all over and won acclaim on the large scale of their images mixed with their daring content.

Artist Website: non-existent http://www.artnet.com/artist/6964/gilbert--george.html

Gallery Website: http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/gilbertandgeorge/

Interview: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/johntusainterview/gilbertgeorge_transcript.shtml

Loss of Innocence

"It is one of the superstitions of the human mind to have imagined that virginity could be a virtue." Voltaire

The Loss of Innocence by Ira Pilgrim May 10, 1996
http://www.mcn.org/c/irapilgrim/psy22.html

It is interesting how certain things can be lost then found again or how certain things can be built upon again and again. However, there are certain things that continue to diminish and once they are gone, they are gone forever. They are irretrievable and while some experiences can re-experienced, the first time will always be the first time. And, there will always be that differentiation between how you were before the experience and how you are after the experience. In this case, loss of innocence is the experience to be focused on. There are many ways to lose innocence, such as witnessing or committing acts of cruelty. Most people though associate loss of innocence with the loss of virginity. Everyone who has lost their virginity has had their own unique experience spanning a range of emotions: joy, disappointment, excitement, fear, shame, disgrace, release, etc. Some people regret that they let this moment go in a cheap, no strings attached fashion. Some people are pleased that they waited till they were in a comfortable, loving relationship. Innocence cannot be regained or reformed. It seems as though for some that still have their innocence do all that they can to get rid of it and once they do all they want is to get it back.

The Kinsey Reports

According to the Kinsey Reports by Jim Burroway. 1-3-08
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/Articles/000,024.htm

In 1948, Dr. Kinsey published the book Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, with a follow up in 1953 Sexual Behavior in the Human Female. These two books contained information that covered the various sexual experiences and exploits of men and women that Kinsey either interviewed or polled along with his team of colleagues. He brought subjects to the public that had previously been taboo and shattered many conventional beliefs about sex. He covered topics such as number of sexual partners, heterosexual and homosexual experiences, forms of sexual exploration, and so forth. His books challenged stereotypes about promiscuity in men and women, how chaste each sex is, and age at loss of virginity. His work explained that homosexuality and heterosexuality are not black and white terms. This can be explained on a 7 point scale with solely hetero on one end and solely homo on the other. There are various aspects that fall within those numbers for those that find themselves somewhere in between. These books were part of the beginning of a newer era where sexual topics were more acceptable to discuss. Since the books, a Kinsey Center for research on sexual behavior has been set up. They continue to poll, interview, and research to maintain a modern survey of this age's sexuality.

Sexual Addiction

"What is Sexual Addiction?" by Michael Herkov 12-10-06
http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/what-is-sexual-addiction/

"Like eating, having sex is necessary for human survival." Michael Herkov

Sexual addiction "is best described as a progressive intimacy disorder characterized by compulsive sexual thoughts and acts." Sexual addiction does not spur from a liking or loving of sexual experiences; addiction is diagnosed when a person continues to commit sexual acts that have a negative effect on the person's life. It could effect their health, relationships, or end with their jailing. It is a compulsion to continue on and on in sexual endeavors no matter what the consequences. When it comes to relationships, the sex addict views his/her partner as something to be used. Feelings are not really involved so the relationship is based on sex rather than intimacy. With the advent of looser censorship rules when it comes to sexual provocation, there has been an increase in different sexual practices, even illegal practices. Some people confuse sex offenders with sex addicts, whereas sex offenders commit their acts out of control and power. Sex addicts function solely off of getting off and sometimes addicts will have to increase their acts to get the same effect they got before.

Felix Larher

Felix Larher is a French based photographer who was featured in New Photographers 2007, which is curated by Getty Images. He works within photography, animation, and illustration. He worked in London from 1994 to 1997, freelancing for magazines and whatever jobs he could get. He moved back to France and has worked extensively with many different French magazines and has shot campaigns for various companies, such as Eurostar and Dim. He works within fashion editorials mainly, but also portraiture, documentary, and lifestyle. He has a style reminiscent of Terry Richardson, with flash lighting and a somewhat desaturated color palette. His work is provocative, entertaining, and high spirited. It breathes of pop culture party people, in the sexuality and confidence.

Artist Website: http://www.felix-larher.com/

Gallery Website: http://pigmag.com/gallery/fashion-features/

Interview: This is the closest I could find to an interview or a review of Larher
http://www.showcase-international.ch/exhibitors/agents_details.php?artist_id=63&agent_id=11&PHPSESSID=6e42a8f5e671c983a9779c79ea9d78e9

Ryan Pfluger

Ryan Pfluger is a New York based photographer. He lives in Brooklyn and graduated from the School of Visual Arts with an MFA in photography. He works a lot with people that are a part of his life because he feels that there is a connection "between the individual, their sense of self, their surroundings, and their bodies." He has done series about the different men in his life, his relationship with his father, and his feelings about his childhood. He has worked with many different magazines based around the New York area, including the NY Times, Radar, Paper, and Out. He continues to freelance and work on his own individual work.

Artist Website: http://www.ryanpfluger.com/

Gallery Website: http://www.envoygallery.com/home.html

Interview: http://www.homo-neurotic.com/2008/09/24/in-the-spotlight-ryan-pfluger/

Nan Goldin

Nan Goldin was born in 1953 in Washington D.C. During her study at the Satya Community School in Boston, a teacher introduced her to the camera, she instantly began shooting. Her first show was in 1973 and contained images of the gay community of which she was introduced by her friend David Armstrong. She graduated from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, which is a part of Tufts University. After moving to New York City, she began working in the post-punk new wave scene, continuing on in gay subculture as well. She then began to center on the hardcore drug scene around the Bowery area. Most of her subjects from the drug scene were dead by the early 1990s from AIDS or drug over-doses. She used a snapshot aesthetic to convey her subject matter. Her pictures seem impromptu with focus on the lighting present in the scene. Her images have a truth to them that lands them in a documentary category. She has captured the truth of what it was like to be in these different subcultures.

Artist Website: Doesn't have her own. http://www.artcyclopedia.com/artists/goldin_nan.html

Gallery Website:http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ArtistWorks?cgroupid=999999961&artistid=2649&page=1

Interview: http://fototapeta.art.pl/2003/ngie.php

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Donna Ferrato

Donna Ferrato has spent her career as a photojournalist following two main passions. One passion is the want to show various types of love and affection however strange in a positive light. Her other passion is the attempt to display and end domestic violence of all forms. She has succeeded in depicting her subjects in such a manner that really grasps people's attention and she believes that she can make a difference in each of these areas through the photographs that give a visual to the facts. Though these subjects do not necessarily coincide with one another, she states that since they are two very extremely different topics, they balance out her life. Dealing solely with domestic violence could send anyone into an insane depression. Her pursuit of various forms of love helps keep a grounded head. Someone said that she has an "empathetic eye," which is important in her line of work because she can view her subjects without pity or judgment, but with comfort and compassion. She works in a mix of color and black and white and all her images have a very timeless, atmospheric quality. Her work is groundbreaking, provocative, and sympathetic to the human well-being. She has seen wrongs and is trying to right them through her photography. She really commits to becoming a part of her endeavor.

Artist Website: http://www.donnaferrato.com/

Gallery Website: http://www.higherpictures.com/

Artist Interview: http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reports/98-4NRwint98/Ferrato.html

Intimacy vs. Sex

Intimacy is defined as the close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group. As humans, we have an innate drive, stronger in some than in others, to find intimacy to share with another person. We try to discover that relationship where we do not have to hold back any part of ourselves and share the most that we can with another person. As I have said many times, sex is the most intimate moment that two people can share. However, I was mistaken, sex is only the most physically intimate you can get with another person. There are many other parts that make up our lives such as the mental, the emotional, the spiritual, and the social. With relationships, many people turn to sex when they have problems, or even without relationships, if someone is lonely, they may turn to sex as a means to quench their thirst for intimacy. Sex though is the most instant fix for this loneliness because it can happen within hours of meeting someone, as long as the urge is there. Sex can be an emotionless bond between two people; for some, they can really separate emotion from sex. True intimacy can only happen when emotion is poured into the situation. Sometimes I have felt more intimate with friends than I have felt with some people I have been in relationships with. So often is the cause that people believe physicality to be the way to obtain intimacy. However, intimacy grows out of honest emotions, vulnerability, and respect. It is a comfort level that you share with another person that does not exist within your other relationships. Though these two topics are very entwined, it is important to notice their differences.

Messina, James. "Handling Intimacy." 1999 http://www.coping.org/relations/intimacy.htm

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Breitz Lecture Review

Sunday Artist Highlight

Some of the Effects of Pornography

"The word pornography derives from a Greek word meaning writing about prostitutes." Although many use the term for anything artistic or sexual that they deem obscene; however, under law pornography is not obscene. Any obscenity is something that the courts have ruled to be breaking some statute that deals with sexual material. As for the effects of pornography, there is still much to be discovered. However, studies have shown that people tend to react to porn in a manner that is true to their ethical and moral attitudes. People that follow religions that view pornography to be sinful and moral reprehensible usually tend to react negatively to any form of sexual material. People that have a more open outlook on sexuality in general tend to have a more positive reaction. Past moral feelings, it depends on the each individual's personality. A super masculine male that views females as subordinates will generally enjoy footage that shows the man as aggressive and in control of his female counterpart. A male that sees females as his equal will usually steer away from this footage and gravitate toward porn that portrays men and women as consensual in each aspect of the experience. Not to say that the super masculine male is watching films about rape because that makes up the tiniest percentage of pornography, but there is part of the industry that focuses on aggression and occasionally violence. For those that are constantly exposed to pornography tend to have a more calloused, indifferent view. The more we are exposed to anything, the less phased we are by it. There has been a study conducted on whether sexually explicit material promotes violence and aggression within the individual. The study exposed participants to sexual and aggressive material, only aggressive material, and only sexual material. The only material that appeared to promote aggression was just that, the material that contained aggression. Many people believe pornography to be harmful and promote negative morals and attitudes within society. From the reading, it depends mostly on the person's predispositions, such as their morals, their homelife, and their personalities. Many people use pornography as a learning tool, a sexual outlet, or in the case of couples as a way to enhance sexual pleasure.

Davis, Clive. "The Effects of Exposure to Sexually Explicit Material." Annual Review of Sex Research, 1993. Syracuse University. http://www.sexscience.org/publications/index.php?category_id=440&subcategory_id=336

Candice Breitz

Candice Breitz comes from Johannesburg in South Africa. She studied in the U.S. for graduate studies and spoke about how she felt very foreign because of the cultural differences present within the other students. However, through this feeling, she discovered that as a collective entity everyone has been fed a common mainstream pop culture. She found that with this common mean she was able to engage people in a collective manner. She explored how she could speak through pop icons in a curiously universal language. Her interest lies with the relationship with the celebrities that have a public voice versus the public on the other side of the screen that have no voice because neither one can exist without the other. Her first video installation, entitled the Babel series, stemmed from her watching of lots of early MTV music videos. She took these videos and stripped them down to build a vocabulary comprised of very primal sounds that contained the potential to be built into phrases. The individual sounds were played on singular monitors in one room, so that the viewer could pose as the mixing desk, rather than Breitz creating one particular mix that she wants them to hear.

Her next installation grew from her want to use the lowest common denominator. She took classic love songs from various American songstresses, then clipped out all the first person and second person pronouns. She broke the songs down so that the viewer could really project themselves into the installation. Her works act in a way to free the icons so that she can get them to be her involuntary actors. Her next project centers on the archetypal mother and father figure. She plays it as celebrity death match between traditional parenting for the hearts and minds of kids. Her work is such an interesting exploration between the common denominator that exists between international societies. Since American pop culture is the powerhouse throughout the world, there is a language that creates a line culturally between so many nationalities. Breitz has tapped into this phenomenon and is discovering what level we connect to these pop icons. Her work is truly inspiring because she is breaking into a cross-nation discussion that does not have to deal with something serious. Even though it is not serious, it serves as a springboard to communicate with other countries. I respect that she stands behind the fact that she is doing her work in the method that she sees fit, but notices the impact it could have on a multi-national level.

Ryan McGinley

Ryan McGinley was born on October 17, 1977 in Ramsey, NJ. He now is based in New York City. He showcased his works in solo and group exhibitions around the states and all around the world. From Greece, England, and Portugal, his work has traveled nations. He has worked with various celebrities for a shoot of breakthrough actors and actresses. He was the youngest photographer to have a solo show at the Whitney and won the young photographer award from the International Center for Photography in 2007. Each summer, he fills up his Volkswagen Eurobus with young twenty-photographs them in various situations, usually nude. His images have a film feel to them; his colors are one of the strongest aspects of his work. They have an almost polaroid-esque color scheme, which gives his images a very powerful style. Some of his best compositions are the simplest ones of one figure juxtaposed against a huge, expansive background of sand, sky, or whatever. His photographs deal with youth, sexuality, comfort levels, and a sense of joy and adventure.

Artist Website: http://www.ryanmcginley.com/

Gallery: http://www.teamgal.com/

Interview: http://www.airmassive.com/treo/archives/000648.html

Burlesque

Baldwin, Michelle. "Burlesque adn the New Bump-n-Grind." Speck Press, 2004.
http://books.google.com/books?id=d3ISV2YYpcAC&dq=burlesque+and+the+new+bump-n-grind&pg=PP1&ots=ZW6I2mddUO&sig=pn--c9t8aCKCYqJiv0VYX_1eUg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA132
Burlesque is a form of theatrical entertainment that embodies seduction and sexuality. It is a sort of dance that incorporates props and risque clothing. Some view it as derogatory towards women, but most women that do burlesque say that it is empowering and really solidifies their feminine wiles. It is all about tricks, the trompe l'oeil, they have a unique way of distracting the eye and making you look where they want you to look. It originated in the nineteenth century as an over the top ostentatious performance that combines many different elements. Some shows include novelty acts such as fire-breathing, anything that will add another seductive segment to the performance . It has recently reappeared in modern day cabarets with Dita von Teese at the forefront. She brought back the vintage glamor and the hourglass figure. This presents another side of our society's natural infatuation with sexuality. We as a public are naturally curious about sex and this genre of sexuality really toys and teases us.

Terry Richardson

Terry Richardson is known as a fashion photographer who has a knack for breaking his images down to a raw form. He is provocative and compelling, talking his models into doing basically anything he wants. He uses muted colhttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=1770635408826050195
Blogger: a. saylor senior portfolio - Create Postors and almost always flash, which give his images a very unique mood. He was born in New York, but raised in Hollywood. He began shooting while he was in a punk rock band in high school. He has made a big name for himself working in campaigns for Belvedere, Gucci, and Miu Miu. He has also worked with many different celbrities such as Mary-Kate Olsen, Victoria Beckham, and Kanye West. His work has showcased all over the world in solo and group shows. He works in multiple mediums and is working on his first feature film.

Artist Website: http://www.terryrichardson.com/

Gallery: http://www.michaelhoppengallery.com/home,mhg,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,michael_hoppen_gallery.html

Interview: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2004/oct/17/photography.art

Promiscuity

Raymond, Eric S. "The Biology of Promiscuity." 2 Aug. 2002.
http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/promiscuity.html

In terms of promiscuity, this article covers the stigma for why males and females even consider straying from their mate. The author breaks it down into a more biological manner, relating it to fertility in females, wishing to expand their gene pool to create a stronger, or better offspring. This means that women may gravitate to someone fitter, more attractive, or wealthier so that she can endow her child with this prowess. However, she stays with her first mate because he is the one that will stay around to take care of her children. As for the male side, men have a lower investment in his offspring, or at least less than their female counterparts. Also, men have an innate want to spread their seed because they are designed to continue the race. For instance, the male sows the seed, while the female ensures that the crops grow. It is not surprising that the female would notice that another's crops prosper more than hers, so she may wish to steal some seeds from the neighboring farm.
My thought process right now is dealing with the sexual nature of various demographics within my environment. I want to discover the practices of different groups and discover why they act the way they do. As of now, my mind has centered on promiscuity, how acceptable it is, what defines it, and how many people feel/are promiscuous. This article begins to break it down on a biologically conditioned level that I want to explore as well.

Sunday Blog 9-7-08 (late)

David LaChapelle, born in 1963, works as a photographer and director in various fields such as advertising, video, fashion, and fine art photography. He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts as well as the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Early in his career, LaChapelle worked for Interview, a job offered to him by Andy Warhol, Rolling Stone, GQ, and Vanity Fair. He works extensively with celebrities portraying them in provocative, surreal settings. His images are incredibly vivid and blur the lines between grotesque and beautiful. LaChapelle works mainly in tableaux form, creating very intricate scenes with multiple models, bright colors, and unique props. He has published multiple photographic books and multiple films, such as Rize, a documentary on krumping and clowning, which are two forms of dance popular in South Central LA.

Review- http://www.newyorkartistseries.com/mambo/content/view/538/60/

Gallery- http://www.tonyshafrazigallery.com/

Artist- http://www.davidlachapelle.com/home.html

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Word Assignment: Sexual