Aubrey Beardsley
Words by Fiona Carroll and handkerchief by David Cabaret
‘I have one aim – the grotesque. If I am not grotesque, I am nothing.’
Beardsley is internationally renowned for striking images that contrast large blank areas with intense moments of detail. His erotic works refused to conform to ‘prudish conventions’ and shocked the Victorian bourgeoisie. Beardsley’s obsession with the grotesque appears through the exaggeration and distortion of the body, where the influence of Japanese shunga is evident. The effect is a fantastical form that both intrigues and repels.
Imagine the outrage when such images were first shown in 1890s London! They were condemned as ‘unintelligible, repulsive’- a brick was even thrown through the publisher’s window! In 2020, Tate Britain curtained off the most erotic pieces, including the illustrations for Aristophanes' ancient Greek comedy Lysistrata, a detail replicated in this embroidery. It seems Beardsley’s erotic images can still arouse outrage 130 years on, so we hope you enjoy this unabashed display.
This artwork is part of The Wall of Sexual Heroes, a collaborative textile art piece featured in our previous exhibition at the Horse Hospital (2022) and Bow Arts Lab (2023). All embroidered, printed and appliquėd handkerchiefs celebrate unsung heroes of sexual emancipation, activism and innovation.
The Wall is an organic work. If you would like to contribute, please get in touch with The Keeper.
