Friday, December 29, 2006


Art and Sexuality
Seduction and Co-existence
Kofi Fosu Forson

Can the artist and muse co-exist?

The language of art is befallen by several truths, beauty, neurosis, self-love, admiration, seduction and eventually sexuality.

It is not the art that leaves one to question. It should always be the process. The work of art has a life of its own. It lives on in infinity. What the public interprets as torment and turmoil should be left up to their imagination. They have no understanding of the relationship between an artist and a muse, painter and model, director and actress/actor and mentor and protégé. We speak a private language.

How do the artist and muse co-exist? Every artist and muse must draw a conclusion as to why they have come together. Even if as lovers, the art must supercede the love. Sex as an act can preclude any chances at making art but it shouldn’t be the optimum dialogue. A lover can be a muse but she isn’t necessarily confined to the creative process. She is therefore a source of inspiration.

The world of art is full of misgivings so much that, the language between an artist and a muse is sacred. It’s time spent alone. What has to be defined is that when is it proper for the artist and muse to fall in love or misbehave and when is it best to keep each other’s energies contained within the realm of creating art?

Love and sex emerges from the creative language. It is a language that should be in agreement for both partners. Seducing, whether male to female, or female to male, usually comes about when one of the participants has his/her guard down. It is not a means of being victimized unless the person who has been seduced sees it as such.

Once again, it is a private and personal language. There are those who use this as a means of dictating power. The language between an artist and muse is not a game of power. It is understood who is in control. It is up to the mentor to keep the protégé well aware of her defenses. Crossing a certain line should be and will be deemed inappropriate.

I remember the first girl I asked to pose for me. Her words were, “Do I have to take my clothes off?” I had one session with this model but I have since done some vivid drawings of her in oil pastel, paintings in acrylic and even wrote a song about her.

For an artist, seduction is at times unspoken. This girl was a muse. Our co-existence was brought about through a friendship. It is possible for a relationship between an artist and muse to be void of any sexuality. This is more the pragmatic behavior of all these type of relationships. I find that certain relationships with models, muses or actresses commonly and uncommonly have sexual undertones.

The three, art, sexuality and spirituality form to make up part of my foundation. The gravest example is when sexuality is a common language between painter and model, artist to muse, director to actress and mentor to protégé. There is the level of guilt. It is so because of the features of abnormality. The mentor then has to guide the protégé, advice her, steer the project from going astray.

An actress once told me that producers constantly try to seduce her. She looked at me as if to say, “Aren’t you going to seduce me?” I promptly ignored her. As adult members of a given gender, I feel mutual attraction is acceptable. However the two in question articulate the language of love is particular to them alone.

In theater, it is somehow not permissible. In art, an artist can seduce a muse. A painter can seduce a model. In Hollywood, a director can seduce an actress. Theater is open to a general public. Hollywood is more of an exclusive club.

The artist and muse can co-exist…as lovers, as friends, as artists. Seduction is not a written language. It is afforded by those who dare to speak it. There are always consequences.

As long as the artist and muse are in understanding of what measures they are going to take to complete their work of art, it shouldn’t be questioned. An artist shouldn’t ask his muse for perfection. Just as well, their relationship should live on in their private thoughts and the works of art they have completed.

Kofi Fosu Forson

No comments: