Local
artists sex up gallery in ‘Bordellos
& Boudoirs’
Courtesy
of Joe Flazh!
By
Emmy Gonzalez
Daily Forty-Niner
Two
local Long Beach artists humanize the
lives of women in prostitution in "Bordellos
& Boudoirs," a titillating exhibit
opening at the Icaro Gallery in Long Beach
Saturday.
Photographer
Liezel Rubin, known for her erotic art,
and fine art painter, Margie Darrow-Stretz
came up with the theme of their artwork
after coming across some vintage French
postcards.
"With
this show we wanted to represent them
as people; what they did to support themselves
and their families," Rubin said.
The
two women proposed the idea of doing an
exhibit together to the Art Director and
owner of the Icaro Gallery, Davis Scott,
who loved the concept of the show.
"I
am most exited about the fact that they
explored a topic rarely looked at,"
Scott said. "They explored the life,
the individual and the people, and humanized
it."
Rubin
presents bordellos in black and white
photographs, all of which where taken
horizontally to help differentiate between
she and her partner's work.
Darrow-Stretz
presents boudoirs in colorful paintings
with mixed elements from cubism to illustrative
style, with a hint of art deco, making
each painting resemble a postcard.
Darrow-Stretz
said it was important for them to show
their work with their own perspectives
and not influence each other. The only
time the two worked together was when
Darrow-Stretz posed for one of Rubin's
images.
Rubin
and Darrow-Stretz wanted to make sure
their exhibit had a vintage feel. The
artists constructed a boudoir in the gallery
and will have models posing to help capture
the feel and atmosphere of being in a
boudoir.
Every
detail was important for the artist. Chocolate
gold coins are even included in to represent
the amount of money and sweetness involved
with prostitution.
"We
wanted people to feel completely satisfied,
that they are stimulated," Rubin
said.
Darrow-Stretz
has been painting for about three years.
She said a trip to Europe influenced her
artistic endeavors.
"In
my first show I sold some paintings of
pin-up girls and cubism landscapes, and
that's how I started. I'm a lot more shy
so it's harder for me to step into the
limelight," she said.
Rubin
started her venture in erotic photography
about ten years ago.
"I
take a stance on my work," said Rubin.
The public first took notice of her work
in the exhibit, "Sexrotica."
"Nobody
wanted to show my erotic work, so I worked
with Joe Flazh! After that it was no problem
getting shows," she said.
Both
artists have established themselves as
artist in Long Beach.
EVENTS
LISTING
What:
"Bordellos & Boudoirs"
When: 6 p.m., Saturday through December
Where: Icaro Gallery 4258 Atlantic Ave.,
Long Beach, CA
(562) 427-4258
