Talking about sex and all the little things that come with it can prove to be rather difficult and unpleasant at times. Since we live in an oversensitive world, making the slightest mistake can cause all sorts of outrage. Therefore, we think it’s essential to understand the basics of sexual desire and acts. Our article aims to explore the fine line between pornographic content and erotic art.
Sex drives people forward
We’re sure you’ve heard the phrase — sex sells. This mantra tells us what kind of society we live in. You can spot adult content on almost every corner, from fashion ads to TV and social media; it’s all around us. But that’s fine since we’re all sexual beings in one way or another.
The thing is, sex is what makes us human. It reminds us of our primal needs and most basic desires for pleasure and shared emotions. However, when such content is present every step of the way, it gets hard to draw lines between exploitation and fine art that addresses our existence. In other words, it’s pretty hard to separate erotica from pornography.
Still, porn and its fine art counterpart can work together. When they do, you get some of the most interesting visuals and ideas. Their roots are synonymous, so it’s hard to look at them and not notice similarities. So let’s explore them a bit more.
Going back to the semantic origins
When talking about these two words, it’s always fun to go back in time and look into their background and initial meanings. Namely, erotica is of Greek origin. The word means “of love.” On the other hand, pornography is a mixture of two words — porne, meaning “prostitute,” and graphein, which is “to write.”
We can already make a clear distinction between the two terms. Erotica translates as an emotional state, elevating itself from simple carnal pleasures. Pornography is a lot more simple, being a word that describes the portrayal of prostitution. This might be enough for some people to conclude the difference, but there’s a bit more to this topic. Understanding erotic art further illuminates these distinctions, as it often blends sensuality and aesthetics to evoke a deeper emotional and intellectual response, setting it apart from the straightforward, explicit nature of pornography.
Erotic art, as in — art
Unlike porn, erotica in art tries to have a meaning. It tends to explore thought-provoking ideas while breaking new ground. The world of art allows it to be pretty much limitless. No matter what the first layer in a photo or painting is, the artists behind them share their unique perspectives of the world that surrounds them.
Erotic works of art explore the beauties of male and female bodies. They glorify human existence through nudity and the nature of what we look like. Sure, you can still get off while looking at erotic photography or paintings, but there’s much more to it than receiving pleasure. It usually has some sort of social commentary to it.
For example, Helmut Newton’s famous photo of Sigourney Weaver holding a hose between her legs deconstructs gender roles. We see her as a strong, independent woman that can get the job done as well as any man. But this is only one of many examples of how erotic art can have an important role besides providing the cheapest of thrills like porn.
Just porn
When it comes to pornography, the standards and expectations are lower. However, that doesn’t mean that porn is worthless. It simply relies on different ideas to capture its audience. In a way, it’s more primitive, looking to depict the sex acts as rough and primal as they are. It doesn’t care much for social commentary or higher ideas.
That’s perfectly fine as long as it doesn’t promote itself as something else. In its purest form, porn tends to be honest. It allows us to enjoy fantasies, kinks, and fetishes that we can’t come in contact with in real life. Most of the time, pornography doesn’t care for artistic qualities when portraying sexual activity.
However, not all porn is simple and cheap. It works best when it combines elements of erotica with its honest views of our sexuality. Some productions enjoy implementing both social commentary and higher ideas while still getting the job done. You get to see the most sexually explicit scenes coupled with close-ups and bodily fluids.
So which do you prefer?
It’s important to state there’s nothing wrong with either porn or erotic art. They each have their purposes, and as long as you like it, that’s a-okay. But if you’re looking to please yourself while watching anal sex or some other kink, you shouldn’t look any further than porn. It will present you with explicit scenes and perverse scenarios and allow you to let off steam in the end.
If you’re searching for something more, erotic art will be the thing to satisfy you. From pictures and full-feature films to reading erotica, you’ll delve deeper into the subject of human desires, stigmas, and provoking ideas. Either way, we don’t doubt you’ll enjoy yourself with both. For those looking to explore their wildest fantasies, delving into the best horse dildos can offer an adventurous addition to your experience, blending the explicit thrill of porn with the imaginative excitement found in erotic art.
