Graphic Approaches: A Theoretical and Artistic Exploration of Pornography

Pornography, both its nature and consequences, have been the topic of hot debate in the last few years. Proof of this is the birth of 'Porn Studies', an academic journal dedicated to the study of pornography, in 2014. In particular in the field of aesthetics, the artistic merits (or lack thereof) of pornography have been discussed by Maes, Levinson, Eaton, Mikkola and many others. However, there is a distinct lack of philosophical scholarship produced by (or with) pornographic creators and artists.

At the same time, online censorship directed towards adult content (including but not limited to pornography) and sex workers has been on an extreme rise during the last six years. As a member of both the art and sex working communities, the impact of said censorship on pornography, art and content overall has been obvious - and yet, it has seldom been discussed in academic circles at large (with some notable exceptions, namely Blunt, Are and Rueschendorf), and in the philosophy of aesthetics in particular.

Sitting at the juncture of theory and practice, this thesis tackles questions surrounding the potential artistic nature of pornography and its effects in queer, kinky and other fringe identities. It does so through philosophy, but also engaging with the history of the I Modi and other pornographic artworks as well as through practice-based research.

In Chapter 1 the question of whether pornography can be art is tackled through the theories of several philosophers of aesthetics, examining both normative and non-normative accounts. This chapter also seeks to find a workable definition of art to use throughout the thesis, and introduces important specific frameworks (such as queerness and colonialism) which are used to further untangle the complicated layers of pornographic practice. Chapter 2 builds onto these frameworks and examines the relationship between dissident identities and pornography, as well as analysing the colonial nature of the medical gaze and its intricate entanglement with pornographic illustrations. Chapter 3 uses my own artistic practice as a research tool, seeking to find the place of creativity in the pornographic process. It also dives into Marks' haptic critique, which is then used to explore the pornographic aesthetic experience of the artist. Finally, by putting my own pieces in conversation with an online audience, it answers questions of pornographic and artistic effectiveness - that is, it tests my theories around what makes pornography and art feel like pornography and art to the audience. Chapter 4 provides the very important legal and social background of online censorship as we know it today, and highlights its relationship to colonial public health and safety control mechanisms as built on by Silicon Valley and new legislation.

In Chapter 5, all these threads are brought together to posit that pornography can indeed be art, and moreover, that censoring this type of art is inherently damaging to dissident identities and populations. This chapter also considers the implications that the philosophy of art has had for sex workers and artists, and proposes some further avenues for the philosophical and artistic research of pornography.