"A Plea For Good Porn"
on artistic standards and the fun of erotica
©2002 David J Rust

Words like "connoisseur" are loaded. Specifically, that word implies a gap between the person to whom the word is applied and everyone else. There exists the perception that any "connoisseur" must either possess more refined tastes or think themselves as better (or more worldly) than the people around them. And yet, when I think of what I want to say in this essay, I can find no better opening phrase than, "I am a connoisseur of porn".

This being said, keep in mind that I don't hoarde it, drool over it, or even claim complete knowledge of it. My tastes -most certainly- are not better than anyone else's nor am I particularly worldly in my love of seeing adult artwork or writing. However, I have experienced a large amount of erotica and have -over time- even created some. Be it written or drawn, voiced or typed-on-a-screen, the adult entertainment that exists falls into a wide variety of gradations ranging from "good" to "bad" while encompassing every shade of sexual grey in between.

Often, when visiting websites that contain sexually explicit materials, I have found that the 90% Principle is very applicable. This is the brash statement that proposes "Ninety Percent of Everything is Crap".

Now, while I have no hard facts to back up this assertion, I see it as being fairly true. In fact, I'm tempted to put the ratio of "suckiness" in pornography closer to 95%. It doesn't matter whether or not it is found on the Internet, in magazines, on television, at art shows or rented from a store. Overall, the originality (the fundamental quality by which I tend to judge its value) tends to be rather weak.

Recently, while attending a conference of SF fans, I was able to peruse an art show and immerse myself in the realms of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. There were stunning examples of creativity in every media ranging from fabric art and sculpture to drawings, paintings, ceramics and even jewelry. It was like going to the annual Minneapolis Uptown Art Fair, but without the pretentious overtones. All skill-levels were represented and I was able to enjoy my time wandering the aisles, wishing that I had more money with which to bid in the Art Auction.

Then I came to the mature section of the room.

Now, I really enjoy good erotica and I feel it should be on display in such exhibits. The problem is, that what I saw was nothing new. Oh, some of it was stunning in a technical sense and I would have probably enjoyed owning a few pieces, but a disturbingly large amount of the mature gallery was sub-par. When compared to the original and engaging pieces that were only a few feet away in the main areas of the art show, the contrast was startling. It wasn't just derivative, it was boring as well.

Erotica should never be "boring".

When the intent of artwork is to titillate or arouse, "boring" should never be mentioned above a whisper. It shouldn't even be allowed in the same room with the artist!

Granted, artwork is always going to be seen as good or bad depending upon the subjective tastes of the viewer. A person's life experiences, perceptions and interests will influence their reactions to any creative endeavor. This is largely independent of medium, environment or even skill. However, what artwork always does possess is the potential to be loved or hated by everyone. Even beginner's artwork has this potential.

I do not condemn the beginner! Far from it. Some of the pieces of artwork that have really gotten under my skin have been technically im-proficient. But the message of the artwork, the thrust of it -if you will-, has made me sit up and take notice. The soul of the piece sometimes gets through despite the lack of perfection in the hands that created it.

Given this potential, I'm asking ...imploring... the artists of the world, to start producing a higher grade of porn.

This does not mean I want stories written with an attention to detail that would rival J.R.R. Tolkien. Nor does it mean I want to see dozens of Boris Vallejo clones producing beautifully rendered images of people copulating. Rather, I think it would greatly improve the overall landscape of erotic artwork if those who created it would try and come up with greater variety in their content.

If you think about it, variety itself, if too broad, defeats the purpose of newness. Without a baseline with which to compare things, the very concept of "something new" becomes meaningless. So, yes, I'm not saying to abandon tried and true themes and approaches. By all means, keep using the Harlequin Romance Book Cover style in artwork now and then. It's fine to pay homage to your raging hormones with simple scenes of graphic sex that never rise past the level of "stroke material".

But, wouldn't it be exciting (and better) to present truly unique and new material when it's clear that it's going to be on display for everyone to see? Leaving the World Wide Web and it's International audience out of this discussion for a minute, think about an art show with a short duration but a large audience. The experiences they are going to have there are not going to stick in their minds (or groins) unless something leaps out and titillates them. Something unique. Something special.

It's ephemeral.

Even if this approach is applied to artwork and stories found on the Internet (where the audience is macro-cosmic and the duration, potentially infinite), the creation of higher standards -even on a sporadic basis- would greatly improve the overall tenor of the medium.

Arousal cannot be quantified easily. It depends on so many factors and is so subjective that there is the temptation to say "just do whatever comes to mind and someone will like it". But I think that approach creates an environment in which poor porn gets developed. If the passion to speak to a wide audience does not exist while the artwork is being created, that will -one way or another- be evident in the final product.

On the other hand, if the artist (writer, sculptor, painter, whatever) focuses on something a bit different than what's been experienced so far, then there is a greater chance to stand out as "special" in the minds of the audience. Even if the audience is just the creator, doesn't it behoove that person to stretch the boundaries of their own interests?

What could be created, here, is a tradition of artwork that can transcend the mundane avenues of mere porn. Again, this is not to say we do without the staid tried-and-true examples of erotica that we see every day... But it is to suggest we can lower that 95% suckiness level much, much lower.

When putting your best foot (or other appendage) forward, why not make it something that -well- sticks out?

Let's see our porn rise to new heights and levels of titillation! Let's make our erotic fantasies something that even Dr. Ruth Westheimer would be proud of! Let's explore, expand and excavate new sensations and concepts from the depths of our Id! Besides, it's not like mundane and boring porn is going to go away...

©2002 David J Rust