Recently, I noticed a discussion in an online group I’ve joined. The topic was erotic art, dreams and the subconscious. To be perfectly honest, the dreams and subconscious didn’t tell me much, and the ‘erotic’ art – quite frankly it depressed me. As a heterosexual woman, I just don’t see how half-naked women can be considered erotic. Call me oldfashioned or whatever you like. It just doesn’t do anything for me.

Is it even supposed to be? Imagine this: a bunch of heterosexual men are expected to look at and enjoy art consisting of various representations of the nude male form. If these men found that ‘erotic’ art uninteresting, unmoving and perhaps even baffling, is it so strange?

I’m aware that I might be lacking in some sort of understanding or appreciation of what art really is, but I don’t think so. If I don’t like it, it isn’t art, as far as I’m concerned. I’ve never been one to ‘appreciate’ what is trendy and hot, rather than ‘good’ or even appealing to me, as the ‘receiver’ of the message art is supposed to be.

I don’t listen to music I’m ‘supposed’ to like and I don’t go to the theater and watch plays I’m ‘supposed’ to like, and I certainly don’t read books, because ‘everyone else’ says they’re good. For me, appreciation needs to be based inside me and what I consider worthy of appreciation.

That’s all.

So the next time someone wants to interest me in a work of art, it had better contain some element I find artistic, be it a nude or semi-nude male, a landscape or something abstract. Otherwise, I’m not interested. Sorry. That’s how I am, take it or leave it.