A first glance reveals bodies with sinuous curves, clothing that conceals and reveals milky skin, and insinuating poses. A second glance reveals classic and renowned works by artists such as Goya, Toulouse Lautrec, Rubens, Courbet, and Klimt. Carnal and lyrical works that exude eroticism, scandal, and controversy. A third look invites us to observe the detail of the composition of these pieces: a mosaic of curious, almost pornographic cards that, with striking typography, incite pleasure and offer access to the forbidden. "Temptations," "top fantasies," "kittens," and "VIP Paradise" are some of the suggestive messages that are read in these tiny letters accompanied by beautiful women in provocative poses. But there is one last look. A recent revision of this series was done by artist Javier Vanegas, who started it 20 years ago and originated from collecting these so-called sex cards on his way to college while passing the busy Caracas Avenue. The accumulation of this ephemeral material led to the creation of his first iteration of the series entitled VIP, an exploration of the sexualized image and the objectified female body. In his research, he observed how the women presented in these cards do not correspond to the diversity of the Colombian phenotype and more to a standardized and hegemonic Western beauty. He was interested in exposing the contradiction between the images that were controversial and immoral at the time and are now accepted and revered, with these daring and lascivious images reflecting contemporary disinhibition.
In the time that has passed since this visual project began, the sex trade has been transformed as well. The pandemic accelerated the process of digitization and virtualization of the image. These sex cards that once felt like a perverse treasure hidden in a secret wallet pocket are now obsolete and appear to be more of a relic of times gone by. The little cards previously scattered in the streets have been replaced by digital ads where a click reveals the entrance to those lustful paradises. Now it is the cell phone, the pimp who knows the preferences of the viewer thanks to the laboriousness of the algorithm. Access is now constant, where the notion of time is blurred, and immediacy and dependability lead to the construction of parasocial relationships of exchange between money and sex—circumspect and secretive, personalized VIP service for each consumer.
In VIP: What You See Is What You Don't Get, Vanegas is interested in understanding how the mediated image continues to be a device to seduce and promote sex work. He invites us to find pleasure and eroticism in these juxtaposed images, devoid of judgments and cover-ups. Erotic images manifest themselves as a form of rebellion against social taboos and restrictions on the female body. For Vanegas, the exploration of sexuality, nudity, and the female body through photography demands a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of power, representation, subversion, aesthetics, and the role of the gaze. When approaching these works, it is imperative to consider the visual impact, social implications, and potential for discourse transformation. This is how "what we see is not what we have" because, behind the filters, images, censorship, and debauchery hide the illusion of reality.
Curated by Viviana Mejía
