Sex and Food: A Memorial Exhibition is currently displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Photography (MoCP).
Robert Heinecken (1932-2006) was a revolutionary photographer. Images he produced never really fit the label of photography, and often called into question mainstream photographic practices. He taught photography for 30 years at UCLA, although he started as a printmaker.
Heinecken helped create post-modernism; he used collage, montage, re-juxtaposition, and appropriation, using other images in a new and completely different piece. The current exhibit at the MoCP is a tribute to his death in May 2006.
The MoCP always displays current works, within 10 years, by international photographers. They have shown works by Heinecken in the past and even have some pieces in the permanent collection, but this specific exhibit was a response to his death. The MoCP has an advantage over larger museums in their flexibility and mobility; they are “light on their feet and not planned too tightly” said curator Rod Slemmons.
“This is a reminder that Heinecken was way ahead of the curve in the 1970s. He understood that art is from culture and reporting on culture,” said Slemmons. Much of Heinecken’s interest was directed towards the use of pornographic techniques in the fashion industry to promote clothing sales.
His work was highly controversial: he supported feminism, yet his work frequently had pornographic and misogynist overtones.
Heinecken asked the question, why are women attracted to female poses using pornographic conventions? Slemmons conjectured, “If he were producing work today, he would be very interested in the fact that 90 percent of the Internet is used for pornography.”
He was very interested in the Meese Commission on Pornography’s findings in 1986, as well as Sherry Hite’s “The Hite Report: A Nationwide Survey of Female Sexuality” (1976).
One series displayed in this exhibit is directly related to the report: “Hite/Hustler Fashion Beaver Hunt”. It is expected to be the last time these 16 pieces will be seen. They will probably be bought for a private collection. The mattes are removed and the collage construction is visible.
When asked if the curator thought this exhibit would be popular, Slemmons chuckled and replied, “When the title is Sex and Food, it is bound to attract some attention.”
For those planning to view the exhibit at MoCP, Slemmons recommended preparing by reading information about Robert Heinecken and his work online. There is a bibliography and summary on their Web site www.MoCP.org, but other information is available on other sites.
For more serious museum visitors, there is also a helpful book that is available: Robert Heinecken: A Material History. An excellent essay about his life and work is included.
Sex and Food: A Memorial Exhibition will be displayed in the MoCP from Jan. 19 through March 24, 2007, located at 600 S. Michigan Ave. Guided tours are available for groups. 312.663.5554