Lingerie, like any other fashion accessory, has undergone many transformations over the decades. From the agonizing apodesme used in Ancient Greece to the peculiar pantalettes of the 1800’s we have seen it all.
An apodesme was an ancient Greek brassiere made of a band of wool or linen wrapped across the breasts and tied or pinned at the back. The idea was that by tightly banding the breasts, women would prevent the development of large breasts- something the ancients deemed as undesirable and associated with aging.
Sex experts Katie Lasson and Tatyana Dyachenko from Dimepiece LA have created a couple handy infographics which delve into the changing fashion trends of lingerie over the last 100 years. Take a look and learn a bit more about lingerie through the decades.
“What I found most interesting whilst doing the research for the infographic is the concept that lingerie should be visually appealing didn’t come into effect until the late 19th century.” Katie
Lady Duff-Gordon of Lucile was one of the main pioneers for developing lingerie that freed women from the traditional restrictive undergarments such as corsets.
The famous Flappers of the 1920’s further cemented these ideals with their blatant disregard for society standards and desire for more free-flowing lingerie.
Both Katie and Tatyana understand the important role that lingerie plays in a person sexuality and sexual experiences.
The right underwear can transform the way you feel about yourself. It gives you a confidence boost that you never knew you needed.
Katie had this to say “Lingerie is a tool that, when used correctly, can help you to feel more sexy and confident. Everyone deserves to feel good in their own skin and sexy underwear has the power to transform the way you feel about yourself”.
Tatyana says “Remember to wear lingerie for you, if you feel good it shines through and makes you appear more attractive to others. Confidence is sexy so embrace your body, curves and all. It’s time for you to feel good and lingerie can help you achieve that”.
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” -Anais Nin
Nature is born of sexuality.
The two are inextricable and inevitable partners. Where humans find fault with sex that does not suit their particular beliefs in what is right or wrong, nature transcends. There is no taboo in the natural world, there is no polite side-stepping of the rawness of nature. Nature simply is, in all its sensual glory.
Beth Stephens & Annie Sprinkle have collaborated for 17 years.
They recently showcased their film Water Makes Us Wet at Documenta 14. They were one of just 180 artists at the exhibition which takes place only every five years and draws in a million people. In conjunction with the film they exhibited visual art, performed Ecosex Walking Tours, and facilitated “sidewalk sex clinics.” Their film premier at the Gloria Theater was the only one to completely pack the house. For their Documenta Ecosex Walking Tour, Stephens & Sprinkle consciously began at the site of the first tree planted in Joseph Beuys’ 1982 Documenta project 7,000 Trees.
Their film is part art, part activism, a call to action, and a vision of how the future may look if we are careful with the earth as opposed to how it could look if we continue our ecologically destructive behaviors. Within the environmental activist movement, the two always felt a bit out of place. They felt the need to hide their flamboyance, their sexuality, and some of the details of their pasts. Because of this they began their own movement, an all inclusive environmental activism that encourages people to be themselves.
By allowing people to embrace their own identities and to infuse a little fun, they hope to create a movement that is sustainable and perhaps avoids some of the activist burnout that frequently effects those constantly fighting for the future of a healthy planet.
For the film, and throughout their work, Stephens & Sprinkle have unabashedly embraced and exposed their own bodies. In so doing, they show both their vulnerability and their strength as well as embrace their advancing age. Sprinkle, who is now 63, was once a pornographic film actress. She finds that showing her 63 year old body has pushed more limits than anything she’s ever done. “I think that taboo does need fixing,” she says.
During the making of the film, Stephens & Sprinkle were in a serious auto accident which features in the documentary. The two were seriously injured and hospitalized but eventually walked away. The wreck served as a metaphor for the universality of “eco-sinners” in that even the filmmakers were driving around in an old, polluting van.
The two describe the incident as romantic and remarkable and say it has given them a new lease on life. The accident was a result of another driver’s distracted driving. The film as a whole is a look at the issues facing the planet, some of those perpetrating them, and ways to think about the problem. “What we really hope with our film is that people leave the film thinking about the issues we’ve presented but also feeling like well, there is something I can do in my personal life.”
The term “eco-sexual” was originally used by dating sites and subsequently in a book titled Eco-sex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable by Stephanie Iris Weiss. Stephens & Sprinkle took the term and created an art movement around it. “We like to think that all sex is eco-sex including human on human because we are the earth, we’re not separate from the earth…we acknowledge all the sexuality that is going on around us.” At UC Santa Cruz where Stephens is a professor, the two established E.A.R.T.H Lab which stands for Environmental Art Theory & Happenings. There they incorporate some of the principles of ecosexuality in the programs they run. For the Silo, Brainard Carey.
Xandra “Sunny” Moon, author of “The Power of the Titz…a woman’s journey back to her self”
It’s not hard for women in midlife to feel like they belong to the Island of Broken Toys, says Xandra “Sunny” Moon, a self-described liberated, 18-wheeler-driving, 40-plus babe.
“There are thousands of beautiful mothers, wives and ex-wives out there who feel like they’ve lost their sexuality – I know because they tell me as I travel the country and get to know them,” says Moon, author of “The Power of the Titz…a woman’s journey back to her self”(www.sunnymoonspowerworld.com). “My mission is to let them know they can get it back!”
Like the many of the women she meets in her travels, Moon suffered physical and emotional abuse as a young woman. After raising four children and enduring an unhappy marriage for several years, she fell into a deep depression, she says. But several steps took her out of despair, and by the time she climbed out, she was happy, confident and back in touch with Sunny, she says.
Moon lists the ways in which women 40 and older can rediscover their “inner babe:”
• Embrace your sexuality!: It’s not just a “Mrs. Robinson” stereotype – older women do make for better, more participatory sexual partners. Older women have more self-possession; they’re not as callow and tend to have more character both in personality, intrigue and in sexual performance. Women 40 and older are also more forthright, which can be a major turn-on, especially for younger men in need of direction.
Younger women are still deciding what sex means to them, whereas older women are more likely to appreciate it for its own sake.
• Education and employment: Perhaps the most important vehicle for Moon’s self-empowerment is her continuing education. Gaining her GED and furthering her education at a university allowed her to support herself with a good job. Past generations of women were overwhelmingly reliant upon their husbands for financial support.
Having your own income allows women the power to choose their relationships, and not remain stuck in one.
• Remember your old social life?: A big part of relocating your inner diva is remembering the good times you had as a teen and 20-something – back when you had your first appletini, your first date at a fancy restaurant and, yes, your first day-long hangover.
In many ways, these things are like new again. Under-appreciated mothers and wives tend to live primarily for others, but now it’s time to reclaim those fun nights out with the girls and catch some time for yourself.
• Cosmetic surgery: This is still a touchy subject for many ladies. Moon’s first rule is to have cosmetic surgery only for yourself – not for someone else, and to ensure you are in good enough health to withstand the rigors involved with surgery. Other important considerations include realistic expectations, potentially catty responses from girlfriends, short- and long-term consequences, such as time off work and maintenance, and whether or not you really want larger breasts or a botoxed brow.
• Dating outside your comfort zone: Maybe now is the time to consider other types of partners — perhaps those of a different ethnicity or maybe even a different gender. Now is the time to be adventurous and explore new avenues.
• Health/Diet/Exercise: Of course, feeling and looking attractive is important to you – so be healthy! Nothing is better at giving ladies that can-do attitude than a nice workout. Being selective about what you eat is as important as being selective about who you date; you want a lover and diet that will treat you right.
“We have but one life,” says Lee Abzu, Moon’s second husband, soul mate and coauthor to her books.
“If you’re single and in your 40s, 50s, 60s or older, you can either wait around for the kids or grandkids to come by and visit, or you can get out there and regain the vitality and lust for life you used to have.”
About Xandra “Sunny” Moon
Xandra “Sunny” Moon is a survivor who came into her own after age 40. As a younger woman, she endured rape, unlawful imprisonment, mental and emotional abuse, and divorce. She has worked 14 years as a truck driver, during which she has spoken with thousands of woman near or at midlife.
After raising her four children, she continued her education at Idaho State University and eventually married her second husband and soul mate, Lee Abzu. She now counsels women who are seeking rebirth. For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley.
Colorization processed G. Orwell photo- mensxp.com
“The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.” -George Orwell
The facts of the past cannot be objectively altered regardless of belief or opinion. They can, however, be tainted by those wishing to assume power. It is critical that we understand the past as it happened and do not allow the view to be obscured. Only in this way can we ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of our forebearers, only in this way do we as a society learn and move on from our past transgressions. Those who would revise the past must be confronted with resistance and overcome with the truth. We are bound by our ancestors to carry their truth along the banks of the future no matter how heavy the burden may be.
Golden Age Rorschach, 2014, 38” x 26”, Acrylic paint over inkjet print mounted on Dibond by Aura Goldenberg.
Aura Rosenberg is based in New York City and Berlin, Germany. Since 1993 she has worked on a project titled Berlin Childhood. Over the years the project has taken on many forms including a published book, souvenirs of Berlin’s Victory Column, photographs, and a film. The title comes from a series of texts by Walter Benjamin written during his exile from Berlin in the 1930s. Rosenberg began creating a photograph to correspond with each text which Benjamin wrote in order to combat his homesickness during exile. Chantal Benjamin, the granddaughter of Walter Benjamin moved to Berlin and contacted Rosenberg. The two became friends and Rosenberg began filming Benjamin and her daughter around the city also in correspondence with the original texts. Presently Rosenberg is editing her archive of footage and recording a narrative soundtrack of Walter Benjamin’s great-granddaughter reading his texts aloud. Rosenberg also creates work based on themes of sexuality. One of her current project is a continuation of an older work titled Porn Rock.
“145 Elm Ridge Drive Toronto” Study Of Politics In Cell Tower Placement by Vid Ingelevics.
Vid Ingelevics is a Canadian artist. Much of his work examines representations of the past. His current long form project titled Freedom Rocks focuses on the history of the Berlin Wall since its removal in 1989. Ingelevics began researching what happened to the wall after it fell and discovered pieces of it across the world including in the United States and Canada. Initially, Ingelevics and his collaborator went to Washington, D.C. to learn about the movement of the remains of the wall. In the years following the removal of the wall there was a strong market for fragments. Pieces of the Berlin Wall now appear in the most unlikely corners of the world. Ingelevics work looks at why fragments of the Berlin Wall move around the world and who pays for this as well as putting the wall in the context of history rather than relegating it solely to the realm of political symbolism. For the Silo, Brainard Carey.
Brainard is currently giving free webinars on how to write a better Artist bio and statement and how to get a show in a gallery – you can register for that live webinar and ask questions live by clicking here.
–
Featured image- “Touching the Wall”, Berlin, 2014. From the larger project, Freedom Rocks, a collaboration between Vid Ingelevics & Blake Fitzpatrick begun in 2004 that explores the post-1989 history of the Berlin Wall.
We are pleased to announce NADA x PAOM: Contemporary Drag, a new collection of artist-designed limited editions curated by Gordon Robichaux for the sixth edition of NADA New York.
NADA (The New Art Dealers Alliance) is the definitive non-profit arts organization dedicated to the cultivation, support, and advancement of new voices in contemporary art.
The collection features the artwork of Chris of Hur, Jimmy Paul, Juwelia, La’fem Ladosha, Lady Bunny, Linda Simpson, Patti Spliff, Sasha Velour, Tabboo!, and Tyler Ashley The Dauphine of Bushwick. The limited edition merchandise will be available for purchase in the lobby of NADA New York and on paom.com.
Contemporary Drag features a wide range of intergenerational artists, performers, and cultural figures, and will highlight their engagement with drag as a radical form of art, theater, and politics. For the complete schedule of programming and events, visit here.
The Erotic Arts & Crafts Fair is Back!Toronto’s first – and most beloved – fair celebrating all things sexy is popping up once again this February at the Gladstone Hotel!
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be brought to you by Hallmark – for another way, full of charm, wit, and craftsmanship, visit Toronto’s beloved Erotic Arts & Crafts Fair this season! The Erotic Arts & Crafts Fair is a one day celebration showcasing local handmade wares celebrating love, sex, and community, hosted by ‘anti-capitalist worker-owned co-operative’ Come As You Are.
Visitors can expect lovingly made goods ranging from raunchy embroidery, whimsical gitch, natural contraceptives, zines, pasties, jewelry, erotic art, leather bowties, sex toys, BDSM gear, and so much more! Come As You Are will also be offering free prize draws throughout the day, plus free sweet treats.
Date: February 11, 2017
Time: 10-4
Cost: Free
Venue: The Gladstone Hotel, North Ballroom. 1214 Queen St. West. Wheelchair Accessible!
About Come As You Are: Come As You Are is the world’s only worker owned and operated sex toy store, and is currently celebrating it’s 20th year. Come As You Are’s mandate has always been guided by the co-operative’s love of sexual health, pleasure, and education plus a profound sense of dissatisfaction with the “sex industry” as a whole.
Click here for a sampling of this year’s vendors.
BlackLine Accessories
A vegan up-cycled jewelry and accessories line made from motorcycle inner tubes.
Crafty Chas Crochet
These dolls are made in the hopes that a wide range of people can finally feel represented, to act as a healing tool, and made to remove the shame from nudity. Lovecrafters
Geeky, playful, whimsical and fun adult fantasy toys. All hand sculpted and made out of safe platinum grade silicone.
Michelle Gauthier Art
Gauthier creates feminist and reproductive-themed works in order to promote self- love, to embrace individuality, and to show that there is no cause for shame when it comes to what is natural.
Milkweed Zine
Milkweed is a sex-positive erotic zine, featuring photography, visual art, poetry and short fiction from around the world. It explores playfully explores identity, sexuality and eroticism, reflecting a diversity of experiences. Sartoria
The finest cashmere undergarments for a superior winter experience. Vanessa Walsh
Watercolour artist specializing in hyper-realistic erotic and bdsm art. Definitely not your grandmother’s watercolours! vintagelove
A subversive peek into the 1950s modern lifestyle and aesthetic. Weal & Breech
Makers of bespoke implements for impact and restraint play. All of their toys are designed and made by hand out of the finest local and exotic woods, and full-grain leathers. For the Silo, Noah Kloeze.
As the world teeters on the brink of disaster, four people converge in a Toronto Airport cocktail lounge. As oil prices suddenly approach $300 a barrel, power cuts out, planes stop taking off and cell phone signals die—a self imposed apocalypse sets into motion. As you read, four people come to terms with the situation, and more importantly, each other. Karen, the 40 year old receptionist at a psychiatric clinic who has flown to Toronto to meet a man she met on the Internet; Rick, the recovering alcoholic bartender who eagerly awaits the arrival of an obviously transparent self-help guru; Luke, a pastor, recently turned felon, who has run off with $20 000 from his church renovation fund; and Rachel, a beautiful, young autistic woman with the intention to find a man to be the father of her child.
“Cocktails and laughter—and what will come after?” asks the haunting voice of Player One after the self-narrated character introductions and before the announcement of the skyrocketing gas prices that quickly envelop the world in complete chaos. The novel follows a simple format: each character narrates their version of the same events, over a five hour period, followed by Player One’s omniscient and sometimes mocking narration. The identity of Player One remains a mystery up until the end of the novel where resolution is provided and final comments are made.
Player One is the first fiction selection for the CBC Massey Lecture series. Presented in a series of five, one hour, real-time lectures, Coupland explores what people do, talk about and think about as the world sits on the brink of total disaster. For anyone who has read Coupland, this novel addresses many familiar themes and ideas. Mild drama and in-depth dialogue where topics from humanity to sexuality fill the text of this lecture turned novel.
This book, simple in structure, but at times complicated in meaning, provides the reader with a scary dystopian view of what will become of us when a daily staple in most of our lives becomes virtually unavailable. The dialogue can drag on at times and the characters can be a little predictable and melodramatic, but this novel is more about what it leaves you with when you put it down. What would happen if gas became unaffordable? How small would our world actually get? Douglas Coupland will infect your mind with these questions long after you put down the book and forget about the meddling and self-loathing characters.
As Player One haunts the pages of this book, the ideas and inferences you read will haunt your mind every time you indulge in a modern day convenience, such as filling a vehicle up with gas, making this book a worthy read. For the Silo, Sarah Purdy.
