Pubic Hair

This is not something that concern me personally, but apparently for some people it is a meaningful discussion. Medically, pubic hair is a natural part of one’s body and should be left there for health reasons. This is a clear aesthetics that is manufactured and maintained by advertisement to sell products that require continuous use as part of grooming regimen. To maintain this aesthetics, hair has becomes dirty, perverted and, unpure. Rather than a natural part of one’s body, it has become a modification, as if where the same as a pierced nipple. Public outrage does not only concern with hair around are sexual organs but also the armpit, the more traditional source of outrage. Now for me to include hair in my art becomes a statement rather than a decision based on time. Painting hair takes longer than smooth skin, so whether it will add or strengthen the shape of the piece of art is a secondary concern.

There is a contradiction, by denying the existence of pubic hair. We are ignoring the existence of this hair as clearly establishes our sexual maturity. Rather than embrace this as a sign of sexuality development, the lack of hair becomes sexualized. Now corporate dictate the female body embraces the Barbie body right down to the smooth plastic coating, removing everything that was once human. Replace it with not just as simple cultural skin of shame, but layers of product on from the skin all the way up to the clothing that is worn.

Sexualizing the lack of hair makes us feel better about our desires, we no longer have to commit to sexuality as a real body that sweats and smells. It is replaced by a body created by external force. It has become a product, like the ‘Sex Doll’ no longer part of the world smelling and flesh. Now sanitized, remove are self from our own bodies through the ritual of sculpting with products to creating an avatar of ourselves. To be seen by the other as that perfect doll. A doll constructed to appear sexual based upon an image but not within truly in itself.

Japan’s obscenity laws have some particular rules regarding pubic hair. In 1991 Japan started allowing pubic hair to be drawn in animation thinking it was pornographic was changed because they felt it was worse to sexualize children.