“101 Vagina” author Philip Werner, Dr. Susan Block, Trixie Plenty. Photo: L’Erotique

Length 1:30:51     Date: Apr. 05, 2014

Taking a “deep” look into “vagina” conjures images of cold speculums entering hot lips. But what the 101 confessions, stories, poems and paeans in 101 Vagina deeply penetrate are the souls of the women that author Philip Werner photographed for this beautiful, illuminating coffee table book.

Coming straight to RadioSUZY1 studios from his opening at Downtown LA’s Think Tank art gallery, Philip joins us live mid-show to chat about art, porn, women, men, photography and, of course, vagina.

Purists will note that Philip’s elegant black-and-white photos of 101 different sets of naked, full-frontal ladyparts more precisely show vulvas, the vulva being the exterior of the female genitalia, the vagina being the interior. But each photo is accompanied by a very personal story written by the unidentified woman who uncovered her crotch for Philip’s lens. These are tales of love and longing, sex and birth, pleasure and pain, discovery and maturity, shame and transgression, blood and juiciness. Each dives deep into the physical, emotional and/or spiritual meaning of what we call “vagina.”

Moreover, Philip was inspired to do the project by Eve Ensler’s brilliant Vagina Monologues. Eve was famously taken to task by one of my mentors, Dr. Betty Dodson, for using the technically incorrect “V” word, though the two great ladies eventually made up, hopefully bonobo-style.

In any case, it’s understandable that Philip would prefer “vagina” for his art show. After all, if he’d called it “101 Vulva,” a lot of folks might think it’s a Swedish car show. Sorry for the bad pun; a vulva isn’t a Volvo, though it helps to learn how to drive it.

While waiting for Philip to arrive, Capt’n Max, Trixie and I discuss and show other vaginal and vulvular art throughout history and from our own Bonoboville art gallery, including Doug Johns’ gorgeous genital sculpture, Georgia O’Keefe’s famous vaginal flowers, Judy Chicago’s historic vulva-plated “Dinner Party,” Sayko’s vulvular life-castings, Bill Pacek’s functional, wooden “pussy pipes,” the late great Frank Moore’s vibrant digital painting of my own holy water-squirting “Pleasure Fount,” Annie Sprinkle’s “Public Cervix Announcement,” Nicole Daedone’s “Orgasmic Meditation,” Dorrie Lane’s Wondrous Vulva Puppet and “the V of her crotch” in Peyton Place. There’s a lot of great vagina out there, and that’s just in the art world

Philip bemoans the lack of commonly understood English language terms to denote the entire female genitalia apparatus. Words like “pussy,” “cunt” and “twat” fit the bill, but are a bit too vulgar for Philip’s tasteful presentation. This brings up the perennial porn versus art question: What’s the difference? Essentially, Philip believes that porn is what the creator feels the viewer wants to see while art is what the creator himself wants to make, but he agrees that this fine line of intent is difficult-to-impossible for any outsider to discern.

One of the goals of Philip’s art is to “confront the lies we are told about what’s normal…. It’s a shame when a woman is made to think her vulva isn’t normal.” Showing us 101 vulva/vaginas that are as different as 101 faces, each wonderful in her own way, shows us that the only thing that’s “normal” is diversity. Go see 101 Vagina at the Think Tank Gallery in LA or at the city closest to you on Philip’s whirlwind North American tour. You can also get the book.  Or just strip down to your yoni, if you have one, and then look at her, photograph her, and listen to what she is telling you.

Of course, vaginas aren’t the only tantalizing, taboo body part in the art world. The human penis, especially in a state of arousal, is subject to as much if not more censorship than his female counterpart in the politics of art and culture. Art curator Dennis Barrie discovered this freedom-squashing fact when, in 1990, he and Cincinnati’s Contemporary Arts Center were charged with “obscenity” for exhibiting “Robert Mapplethorpe: The Perfect Moment,” an exhibit which featured, among other provocative images, an erect penis juxtaposed with a gun, and a bullwhip inserted into the late photographer’s own anus. Fortunately, Dennis and the center were fully acquitted of all those bogus charges. But the specter of being busted for “obscenity” hangs over every artist and curator who wishes to explore the many artistic mysteries of human genitalia.

Somewhat apropos of the topic of penises, we take a call from Alex who wants to know how to do a comfortable “standing 69” with his boyfriend. I suggest he hook a trapeze up to a beam in his ceiling or just put a chin-up bar in a doorway. Make sure the level is just right for mutual lip service. Then one of you can hook his legs over the trapeze or chin-up bar while the other can stand holding the first one steady, and then both can sword-swallow away. Hopefully, the blood won’t rush to the upside-down guy’s big head before the cum gushes out of the standing guy’s small head. And hopefully nobody falls and cracks their head… But it sounds like it could be awesome. Take pictures!

And speaking of penises, that’s next for Philip; at least for his photographer’s lens. He is already shooting for “101 Penis” as well as “101 Breasts.” Interested subjects are welcome to join him for a shooting marathon at the Think Tank gallery on his last day there April 12^th.

Also coming up this Saturday, April 12^th: Our 22^nd Wedding Anniversary celebration at the deliciously dive-y Green Horse! Some of the hottest sexpots, sexperts and boho-bonobos in town will be on the show and at the party. For the list—which mounts every day—click here. Check out our Facebook Event Page for PG pix of last year’s anniversary bash, and join DrSuzy.Tv for the hot stuff.

Make your reservations now for the upcoming Lifestyles Festival, where we will be July 23-27. Come join us for a sure-to-be-amazing weekend of sun, fun and swinging like bonobos in the wild! This is the original Lifestyles Convention, revolutionary brainchild of our old friend Dr. Robert McGinley who created the “playcouple” philosophy. Accept no imitations!

Bonoboville is up and running in beta. Please give us your feedback, report problems and participate. Everything is free for now.  Also we just started a Bonoboville Meet-Up Group which will allow our friends, lovers and members to organize events in conjunction with us, create income for all and spread the bonobo love.