Art Erotica 2012: 'It's all a bit wanky'

Sex has been very much on my mind recently. One way or another I've been confronted with a lot of sexual imagery. What with art (Johnathan Yeo), film (Shame) and a lot of people kissing around the City of London (I blame the time of year), I wondered if I'd reached sensory overload when I contemplated visiting the ArtEroticaExhibition2012 in Cork Street, W1.

Turns out I'm insatiable and there were a number of pieces with which I'd quite like to have another encounter.

This open exhibition has two aims; to showcase new talent and raise money for charity. This year was their first themed show and they wanted 'to explore the erotic in a wide variety of ways, to be a showcase for contemporary work in the genre, and to make a meaningful contribution to the genre'. With these thoughts in mind let's turn to the art.

Amethyst

Worn with love
This delicate piece;
Gently radiating colour
Silver warmed by pale skin

Created through love,
Glowing invisible violet;
Vinous strata of pale statue still.
Jealousy thwarted and colour imbue.

Designed by love
Enhancing my mysterious eyes.
An eternal meditation
On iridescent memories.

London Art Fair - decoding Mark King

It is difficult to be unaware of the ubiquitous QR codes which are popping like some kind of technological graffiti. And without a reader they are meaningless which is what makes this piece of art so intriguing. Having resisted the need to download one, today I paid a visit to the app store. All in the name of art.

At first glance the piece is a simple clean back and white A1 print hung and stretched by unassuming bulldog clips; a clear nod to the artist's graphic design background. A design of old fashioned computer game space invaders line up mid game. One on the bottom line is missing and a shot is being fired downwards.

Look closer and suddenly these little aliens take on a new dimension. Away from the 1980s nostalgia, they are made up of any number of modern QR codes representing the block pixels of old.

So far computers are unable to 'read' pictures; so far we remain unique in this ability to decode symbols and context in art to enrich our experience of it. However to interpret what this picture is saying we require a computer to instantly read and interpret. Our human intelligence perhaps merely suggests fond emotional remembrance of these retro space invaders.

So what is the picture saying? Without scanning every single code we don't know. A random selection linked to tweets:

Environment; 'there is no real excuse for choosing to be an ignorant polluting society without respect for the ecosystems we exploit. Believe that :-)'
Friendship; 'hey I torture my friends but they deserve it'. Another came up with roughly, 'every terrorist owns a Casio watch'.
Media; 'Mainstream media - Better name is US Government Department of Propaganda and Misinformation'
Media; 'Maybe us white folks lean to be PERFECT like black folks...to hear the propaganda machine (media), the only bad people are whites'
Media; 'it's a sad DAY in America when reasonably intelligent people are called ignorant & propaganda is treated like manna from heaven'

The last three being from one invader.

A few others inevitably are broken links. This interpreting immediately adds a whole new view of the space invaders; fascinating fragments of random humanity hidden by code.

 For further information go to his blog and website

La Musica

Vibrating deep within the hall
With the thrilling stirring
Swirling notes
The musician sits in our centre;
Circles of light rippling outwards
Ribbons of melody
Colours of chords
Intense building of sound
To a vital crescendo
Leaving us breathless
Only to echo away
Leaving us illuminated, minds throbbing
Humming
Musical memories

Inspired by La Musica (1911) by Luigi Russolo