Every year, the Erotic Art Show has been in a different location. The original goal is that every year it would travel from the North to the South Okanagan. The first year was at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, a public venue, and the second year was a commercial gallery, A Woodside Design Gallery. This year, the Erotic Show is taking place as a separate art show, a nugget, within the Xtream Fantasy Sex Show. The Xtream Fantasy Sex Show is being put on by an events organizer from Calgary, Natasha Lacourse, and she has been planning this event since 2009. In 2011, she plans on taking this event, the Xtream Fantasy Sex Show, on the road throughout BC. She tells me the Xtream Fantasy Sex Show is the first of its kind in the interior of BC.
Is it all about sex?
The word “Sex” in the title of an event brings to mind the idea of lubes, and toys, and strippers and all that sort of stuff – but whether you wear lingerie, use sex toys, have or have not learned to pole dance, the word “Sex” does not necessarily imply “pornographic”.
The word “sex” is a big seller. It gets people’s attention, and brings them either on one side of “oh, I can hardly wait to go” or “no way, not going near it!” Either way, it gets talked about and that is good. All publicity is good publicity.
So let’s start out by saying that my understanding of this Xtream Fantasy Sex Show is that it is all about the wholistic view of the human sexual being. This sexual being includes the mind, the soul, and yes, indeed, the body. All women, and some men, know that to get to the actual sexual act requires a whole lot of jumping through hoops, otherwise known as foreplay. The word foreplay has the word “fore” in it for a reason – and it has “play” because that’s what it is. First, is the play, and in this play there are sensual things like perfume, visuals like lingerie, costumes, and activities like dance: pole, poi or belly – it all gets the juices flowing. There is an intimacy created with all this, depending on where your mind is at and how far along you are in terms of emotional growth – speaking of these two things, any woman will tell you that unless her mind is turned on first, there is no chance of any other adventures. For a man, well, they are more easygoing. Let’s just leave it at that.
Sensuality
Sensuality means of the senses – sound, sight, taste, touch, or hearing. Let’s look at one aspect of our sensuality, dance. If you look at any ancient culture, much of the dancing in the culture is a sexual or sensual nature. It is either celebrating the planting, celebrating the harvest, celebrating the coming of age, celebrating the marriage. Dances are expression of unions or hopeful unions of some kind, whether of man or of mother nature. Clothing is a very sensual item – it satisfies the sight, touch and sometimes sound. Clothing such as lingerie, costumes all of these are also of a sensual nature – we ARE sensual beings, sensual in all aspects of the word. Every single thing that we participate in has a sensual aspect – fabric, makeup, all of it! This Xtream Fantasy Sex Show is a show that will celebrate our sensual being.
What does this have to do with the Erotic Show?
Now what does that have to do with the Okanagan Erotic Art Show? Simply this. The first year we held the Erotic Show at the Rotary Centre for the Arts in 2008, we had the opening night in conjunction with the Wearable Art Gala at the Alternator Gallery. When I saw the interest and the attendance at our show, the first of its kind in a public forum, I had been looking for another venue that would give this same sort of attention and participation. The people who attended the WAG were open minded, interested in something a little different. When Natasha talked to me last year about her show, I waited to see how it would happen, and as time went on, she explained what her vision of the Xtream Fantasy Sex Show was, then I knew this was what I was waiting for.
You may decide not to participate, and that is fine, do what is comfortable for you. If you aren’t comfortable and still would like to participate, then I say Bravo to you! It is in going beyond our comfort zone that we grow into stronger human beings, more knowledgeable about ourselves and our boundaries extended. If you are worried about putting the Xtream Fantasy Sex Show on your resume, then I can reassure you that the entry would be the Okanagan Erotic Art Show, as we are a completely separate entity.
I took a risk
This year, I took a risk for this show, working to expand the Okanagan Erotic Art Show beyond just another figurative art show. I took a risk hoping that the other artists in the Okanagan communities would also be brave enough to push themselves too. Because the Xtream Fantasy Sex Show will promote self image, health and fitness for the mind, body and spirit, fashion, relaxation and education, all aspects our our sensual being, I have decided the them of this year’s Okanagan Erotic Art Show is “Seduce Me”. The art of seduction is never lost, and anyone from any age can find it once again. Deadline for submissions is March 30th. I hope to see you there, whether as an artist in the show, or an attendee.
I welcome any and all comments or questions.
