Vulva Art: Show Us the Pussy
Vulvas (aka pussies) in art. It's nothing new. Vulvas have been depicted in art for thousands of years. But how accurate are these pussy portrayals? The vulva is powerful, yet somehow, its power has been suffocated with the expectation that vulvas are meant to be mostly hidden, and in the rare cases they aren’t (in porn and some art throughout history) the realistic and beautiful image of vulvas are replaced by child-like genitalia. The reality? The pussy is diverse and beautiful. And there are some artists out there doing it justice. Let's explore this vulva art together and have a chat about why we need to see more of it!
What’s a Vulva? It's Not a Fucking Vagina
Take a moment to explore your nether regions. About 50% of the population (a little less than 50% if you want to be more exact) will see and/or feel some pubic hair (or not - maybe some stubble?), a couple of sets of lips (inner and outer labia), a urethra (the pee hole), a larger vaginal opening (INSERT HERE), and last but certainly not least, that little pleasure bean (the clitoris/clit), which, believe it or not, is actually a LOT more than just a little bean under the surface (google image “clitoris anatomy” if you don’t believe me). For those of you who are experiencing these body parts as you feel yourself up, these parts are collectively called the VULVA, commonly and mistakenly called the “vagina.” To be clear, the vagina is inside of the body. It is the canal just beyond the vaginal opening, where a penis (or other pleasure objects) may be inserted, where period blood exits the body, and where a baby would come out of.
Vulva: Expectations vs. Reality
Now that we've settled that, take a moment to picture a vulva (it might help to close your eyes). What do you see? What color is it? Are the inner lips long or short? Maybe you see a bald, plump, meaty vulva; or maybe you see a slender, stubbly vulva with long dangling lips; or maybe you see a hairy mass where you can't quite make out what's underneath (keep the mystery alive!).
Maybe you see your own, your partner’s, or something you've seen in porn? Most people don’t have regular access to reliable information on vulvas—or what they look like—and are far too easily exposed to what the media and beauty industry tells us. This has misled many into having unrealistic expectations of what vulvas are supposed to look like (considering the drastic increase in labiaplasty surgery over the last couple of decades). In reality, vulvas aren’t supposed to look like anything—except your own. Think of a vulva as being a fingerprint. Everyone has a unique vulva that comes in a variety of colors, sizes, lengths, and degrees of hairiness. And. THEY’RE. ALL. NORMAL.
Vulvas in Art
The nature of which vulvas have been depicted in art throughout history is telling…it helps inform how society viewed vulvas at that exact point in time and shows us how societal views of vulvas evolved throughout history. It helps tell the story of how we got to how vulvas are viewed and experienced today. Let’s take a quick trip through history and see how a few artists showed us their pussy.
Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vulva and Anus 1508
“This looks like my vulva,” said no one ever. Da Vinci had a special interest in anatomical studies, including female reproductive anatomy, but if you’ve ever seen a vulva, you know that this isn’t Da Vinci’s best work. It’s obvious that his depiction of the vulva is missing some crucial detail. For example, there is no distinction between the inner and outer labia, the vaginal opening is just a dark cave-like feature, and there is no indication of a clit (why would anyone want to omit the clit?!). Considering the fact that Da Vinci proved himself to be a very capable artist, it’s difficult to believe that this wasn’t intentional. In his defense, maybe he had never seen one? I’m no history expert, or Da Vinci expert for that matter, but I do know that not much was known about vulvas in Renaissance Italy. This piece may not be a realistic picture of any living person’s vulva, but props to Da Vinci for adding in that pubic hair—nice touch.
Gustave Courbet’s L'Origine du monde 1866
Flash forward over 300 years to 1866, and we have a far more accurate depiction of a vulva in Gustave Corbet’s “L’Origine du monde” (“The Origin of the World”). This piece is an oil on canvas painting of a naked woman’s abdomen and vulva, with legs moderately spread. Being such a realistic and intimate painting and knowing the taboo that has been assigned to vulvas, it’s not surprising that this one caused some controversy throughout history. More recently, it ignited an eight-year-long legal battle beginning in 2011 between a French teacher and Facebook, when the social media giant banned his account for posting the 19th-century painting. Society and vulva-havers everywhere have been witness to these events throughout history and right up to the modern day. Yet, we still wonder and ask ourselves “why am I so ashamed of my body?”
Jamie McCartney’s “The Great Wall of Vagina Vulva” - On display at Art Basel in Miami, FL
Despite social media’s attempt to ban the pussy, it’s still rising high, legs open wide, through the intimately dedicated work of modern-day artists. In fact, vulva art has become increasingly popular and common (if you don’t believe me, you’re not following the right channels). Check out “The Great Wall of Vagina Vulva.” Jamie McCartney’s work of art is a 26-foot-long sculpture of 400 plaster casts of vulvas, which collectively aims to show that vulvas come in all different shapes and sizes. This piece definitely helps to dispel the myths floating about that a vulva is supposed to look a certain way.
“You’re Normal. Whatever you’ve got down there, leave it alone” –Jamie McCartney
Today, there are a multitude of artists that celebrate and showcase the diversity of vulvas and actively try to break the societal mold that vulvas and women’s bodies are something to be hidden. The mold that women are to be shamed if they don’t stay hidden. The mold that was born centuries ago continues to shackle women and make them feel ashamed of, and a stranger to, their bodies. This mold that, in current times, is further perpetuated by industries that make a profit off of women who feel insecure about their vulvas. I mean, where do you think scented feminine wash and sprays that make your vulva smell like flowers, lightening creams, and the aforementioned labioplasty came from? Women are groomed to think their vulva is something that must be ‘fixed’ but not seen. This mold deprives women of deeply and intimately getting to know their bodies and of experiencing true and deep pleasure with themselves and with their partners. Women deserve pleasure. So if you haven’t heard it before, and if you aren’t convinced by the art shown here, whatever is between your legs, you’re normal!
If you want to break the mold and start healing from centuries of this trauma, I urge you to immerse yourself in more vulva art! If you don’t know where to start, check out The Great Wall of Vagina’s Labia Library, The Vagina Museum, and The Vulva Gallery—they are constantly displaying all kinds of vulvas in art! Now go forth and show us the pussy!
