Reviews

by Randy Wodck, November 8th, 2000

Sex and religion are touted as being so antithetical down here in the Bible Belt that it's difficult for most folk to believe that one probably lead to the other. No shit. Some anthropologists speculate that the modern religious impulse had its origins in genital worship. That's right, all those pious-types trudge off to church on Sundays, because some pre-historic ancestor of ours was a bit over-impressed with his penis (can't really blame him, I literally pray to mine). Don't believe me? Then get your happy-ass on down to the Red Bud Gallery where it's all spelt out more beautifully and convincingly than a dozen anthropology books.

The term Sextablos comes from the Mexican art form of retablo, "art" on a piece of tin that conveys a religious experience. Using this artform, various creative-type folks were asked to explore issues of sex and its accompanying taboos. The results are fun, humorous, titillating and muy impressivo!

Exemplary examples of this would have to be the numerous works exhibiting sometimes clever, sometimes blatant, juxtapositions (my token fifty-cent word for this article) of genitals, sexual acts, and religious iconography. Typical of this would be Jena Scott's "Adoration," showing a Holy Penis surrounded by a Vaginal Light, like those votive candles to the Blessed Virgin Mary that they sell in Fiesta supermarkets. Israel Romero's "El Mono Podersa" features an anonymous hand in the act of jerkin' off his rosary-wrapped cock. And the blatant pinnacle of all this has to be "Cristo Paternoster Recusent" showing our Lord and Savior, Christo Jesus,, getting a ferocious blow job while just "hangin' around" on the cross.

Lots of other great stuff here. Plenty, plenty, plenty. There's one by Elizabeth Steck, of a rabbit-headed nude woman astride a bed strewn with carrots. It's a cool photo (that's right, kids, real pics of nekkid people!) with the laugh-out-loud brilliant title of "Super 8 Bunny Fuck." Dorothy Mason has a touching series of a couple fucking and sucking in various poses. And cartoon wackiness is the name of the game with Tom Billing's pieces- one showing Mickey Mouse getting a rim job and the other sporting the immortal lines, "Over the hills and far away/ Teletubbies have sex each day."

New to the Sextablos traveling exhibit are the works by local Houston talents. Genius and Madman, Brent Kollack, contributed, "Groveling for that Good Thing," consisting of the man's signature organic bloody mess with all vaginal lips emphasized in bright red. "Bird in the Gelded Cage," by Bexar, was an amusing wire-mesh construct of some chap's package trapped by protective bars- the kind used to keep us from breaking light bulbs in public restrooms. The most sensuous piece in the exhibit, for me at least, had to be the work by John Runnels, consisting of the silhouette of a woman's head and some accompanying text. The piece is called, "I Would Have Been Content Just Touching Her Hair." My personal object of lust and affection has hair that nearly reaches her precious, Raphaelite ass. So I know what he means.

"Sex for fun," the curator claimed, is the best way to describe the vibe of the show. I can dig it. I'm never enjoying myself so much, never so open to life and love, as when I'm crotch-deep in The Most Beautiful Woman in the World. Or, as Pierre Vidal put it "I think I see God when I look upon my lady nude." He probably said it in French, but you get the idea: sex as "true" religion, fucking as worship.

The Sextablos exhibit is showing through January 16. Call for directions. Experience Sextablos, or die unfulfilled.

Site design and administration by f i s h e y e w o r l d