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About Me Photography / Professional Premium Member JimDuvallMale/United States Groups group avatar #SEAF-Alumni
Seatle Erotic Art Festival
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In college you see a lot of people in a natural state of emotional development. They see something that bothers them and decide what is wrong about the thing that creates that emotion or anxiety. As people mature, hopefully they see something that bothers them and search within for the part of them that creates that emotion. Unfortunately while in the former state they say some pretty judgemental things. In some ways we are always fighting to grow out of this stage or habit.

I used to do a lecture for university classes on erotic art. The first half was about the democratization of what is an erotic image since the internet. The second half was about what we each saw in some actual erotic art.

On topic 2 I would throw up this slide I shot in the early '90s . Invariably most of the students were not happy about a nude woman in cuffs serving a man. In the ensuing discussion I would allow them to get madder and madder as I asked open ended questions about what they saw. Usually they were getting mad at me for being part of a patriarchal media establishment and presenting such an image. It occurred to them the emotions they were having were caused by me. The image and my publishing it on the wall was doing something to them. I was after all a porn producer at the time. I was "The Man" and here I was showing them sexist porn.

Sooner or later one of them always mentioned that the two models looked so similar. Then I would explain what was actually happening in the picture. This image was shot as the model was beginning to transition into a man. She was commemorating the gift she had to give up to the man inside her, to become the person she actually was. We shot it with a green screen and both models were the same person. He is now fully transitioned and living a life as a very handsome young man. I am proud to know him and to have been a small part of his journey.

Suddenly in that context the image completely changes. It goes from being this example of the patriarchy, to one of sensitivity to a very under represented class. In one moment they are seeing a victim who must have been desperate to subjugate herself to such a horrible and degrading image, to seeing the beginning of a victory of self actualization. The emotional flip in the room is so tangible you can feel it.

Then I switch to my real point. When you see something, especially art, that stirs a deep emotion in you, that emotion is yours. It was already in you. No person made you have it. They did not do anything to you. All they did was allow you to see something in yourself. Treat these moments as moments of self discovery. You have no idea what is really going on in the image for the people in it. All you can actually KNOW is what you feel and think about it. Examine that and you will always be learning about the most important person in your life.

I have people react strongly to my art all the time. I enjoy it and hope they can always learn something about themselves when these reactions happen. I think as an artist it is very important to have compassion for people and their reactions. You stir something up in them and you have to feel some empathy for their journey. They may not go where you want or intended. And in fact it is sometimes better if they go where they need to go instead. But still, rather than force an issue, or give them hints, let them explore themselves, consciously or unconsciously and have some respect for their process.
  • Mood: Joy
  • Listening to: Mr Epp and the Calculations
  • Reading: MEDICAL AND DENTAL HYPNOSIS
  • Watching: NETFLIX

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JimDuvall's Profile Picture
*JimDuvall
Jim Duvall
Artist | Professional | Photography
United States
When my art works, it draws you in and lets your curiosity shut off your inner voice of doubt and insecurity. That voice that stops you from feeling what you really feel or think. Stopping you with incrimination that you will somehow get it wrong.

When my art works, you will stop stroking your beard. Stop using the three syllable words you learned in art history 104 class. Stop worrying about what your date thinks or that person you look up to across the room.

When my art works, you will feel, think and live for a moment in your heart. Purely with your heart. Not necessarily even with words but with that animal part of you that is more human than the rational part of you.

Some day I hope my art will work

Current Residence: Seattle
Favourite photographer: Helmut Newton
Operating System: OS X
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:iconkitamba:
thank you
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:iconandromeda-la-dea:
Thank you for the watch!:)
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:iconbrentforce:
I love your journal Entry. I am very emotional at the moment and am trying to learn from it. Your comments are wise and helpful.

--
"I believe man and fish can co-exist peacefully" George W. Bush.
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:iconirainbow-unicorn:
*iRainbow-Unicorn Dec 23, 2011  Hobbyist Photographer
Heya! I'd be interested in working with you sometime if it's possible... I'm in the Bremerton area. Kind of want to get more rope suspension under my belt... I had my first a while back, so much fun!

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:earth::peace::weed::heart::hug:
Print information (and Tarot readings!)?? --> [link] They're cheap! Prints as low as $6 + S&H and Tarot readings are as low as $2.
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:iconjimduvall:
*JimDuvall Mar 10, 2012  Professional Photographer
Great shoot, I think we got some really good stuff. :thumb286654178:

--
Jim Duvall


Seattle Erotic Art Festival SEAF, June 16,17,23,24,25 2012
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:iconirainbow-unicorn:
*iRainbow-Unicorn Mar 12, 2012  Hobbyist Photographer
I do as well (:

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:earth::peace::weed::heart::hug:
Print information (and Tarot readings!)?? --> [link] They're cheap! Prints as low as $6 + S&H and Tarot readings are as low as $2.
Reply
:iconhotheadred:
Mood: Love *hotheadred Oct 1, 2011  Hobbyist Photographer
Wow you have great work. I love your gallery.
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:iconnjcelt:
So I was reading your statement above. I am slightly confused. Are you saying that linking your pics on here to a social site like facebook, may cause your pics to be stolen? I'm curious because I put up links on my facebook page, as well as my photo page on there, to my profile here. Just looking for clarification so I'm not open to my pics being stolen. Thank You.
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:iconjimduvall:
*JimDuvall Sep 16, 2011  Professional Photographer
Once it gets shared it gets re-shared, and in some cases edited and republished. As an example, When I published :thumb202996526: On DA with a watermark. 4 days later I was on Reddit with the watermark removed credited to another photographer.

--
Jim Duvall


Seattle Erotic Art Festival SEAF, June 16,17,23,24,25 2012
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