In one of the earlier editions, we wrote about Louise Bourgeois, the legendary artist and feminist who was part of the Fight Censorship Group, which demanded equality in expression and positioning of art regardless of the creator’s gender. Men, the group called out, had a permission to portray a naked woman’s body; but women were ostracized at every attempt to portray a naked man. By creating erotic art this group of women pushed the boundaries of the acceptable—but they did face isolation and had difficulties getting art commissions and jobs because of the eroticism in their work.
Anita Steckel was the instigator of the Fight Censorship Group. In the manifesto she wrote for the group, she boldly stated: “If the erect penis is not wholesome enough to go into museums, it should not be considered wholesome enough to go into women.”
Anita’s art was seen as provocative in the 70’s and 80’s. In one of her New York landscapes from 1970-1972, bodies, erect penises, and faces, melt into city scapes creating a galvanism of raw human form and carefully-engineered human creation.
In one of her shows, she distributed handouts dubbed Legal Gender, which consisted of a penis drawing within copies of a one-dollar bill—expressing the criticism of male privilege, in pay and stature.
One of her most popular series, Giant Woman (1973), shows a giant naked woman dominating public spaces; the figure loudly establishes itself in streets, on New York’s skyscrapers, in trains. The eroticism of Giant Woman is not arrogant, even as she rides the Empire State building, unafraid of pleasure. It doesn’t scream for sexual attention; it merely establishes itself as visible, and unapologetically, belonging.
Anita Steckel got mainstream attention in her 70s. A testament that: one, her art was ahead of time, in both technique and message; and two, that women had to wait their turn to receive recognition.