Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Number Seventeen

Painters NYC is a great place for displaying some of an artist’s work & portfolio, and seeing how readers react to it. 

Back on March 14th, they featured Marilyn Minter here. 

Is she seductive?  Provocative?  Subversive? 

You decide.  Here’s a sampling of more of her work. 

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Thank you and a hat tip to A for the assist.
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant.  Unpretentious.  Unconventional. ©

Number Sixteen

Remembering Hypatia: A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Brian Trent.

In Raphael’s famous 1511 painting “The School of Athens”, the greatest minds of the ancient world gather for debate. . . and in their midst stands a lone woman who would be purged from history books at the Church’s command: Hypatia of Alexandria.

On a November night in Egypt, 414 A.D., one of history’s most brilliant individuals was assassinated. Her name was Hypatia, teacher and scientist of the fabled Great Library of Alexandria and the last glimmer of hope before the Dark Ages.

Based on the true story, Remembering Hypatia explores the murder of one of history’s most brilliant individuals—Hypatia, teacher and scientist of the fabled Great Library of Alexandria.

The Roman Empire is crumbling, the fragments of the classical world regrouping in Egypt when Thasos, son of an ill-fated scholar, meets Hypatia of Alexandria. Astronomer, mathematician, and philosopher at a time when women were shunned from learning, Hypatia is a daring visionary in a world about to change forever.

As an insidious power-struggle erupts between church and state Hypatia finds herself at the forefront of battle, but she is not alone. Those who cherish her, who will remember her, become her allies – including the powerful Governor Orestes, who keeps his consuming love for her as secret as she keeps her feelings from him.

Remembering Hypatia is a vivid retelling of a now-forgotten historical tragedy, when courage stood against fear, when the legacy of the wise vanished in the dark. Author Brian Trent resurrects the ancient world’s most famous metropolis and explores the final days, not just of a brilliant mind, but of a lost era. . .

Check it out here.

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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant.  Unpretentious.  Unconventional. ©

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Number Fifteen

Shiri Zinn.  Design and Pleasure.

In terms of the modern-day world of erotic toys, there is “Before Shiri Zinn” ---and--- there is “After Shiri Zinn”.

Literally.

There have always been “toys” designed by men, which lacked a certain appeal, which required they be hidden and locked away in the bedroom dresser drawer, brought out only for some action and amusement when needed.  Dirty.  Nasty.  Sinful.  Cheap.  Tacky.  Giggles and whispers.

Shiri Zinn was one of the new generation of designers at the forefront that made these into designer pieces which could be placed in the living room, or even on a man’s office desk, and shown as a piece of art.  A sly little secret where only those in the know will “get it”.  Quite acceptable.  Quite chic.  Very functional.

Just ask Kate Moss, Baby Spice, Tristan Taormino, and Jenna Jameson (rumor has it that Ivana Trump has one aboard her yacht). 

A native-born South African who moved to London in 1994 and attended the prestigious Central Saint Martins School of Fashion, earning herself three degrees by 2000 (1 in Fine Arts, 1 in Fashion Design with Marketing, and a Masters Degree in Jewellery for Fashion). 

You might come to the conclusion, this is her calling. 

Her collection has won the International Erotic Award and she was a top 10 finalist on exhibition with The International Bombay Sapphire Glass Awards.  Her collection has exhibited at the new and controversial Museum of Sex, 5th Avenue, New York. It was exhibited at Selfridges Body Craze Exhibition (London) where it made additional appearances in their Oxford Street window display.  She put on “Totem & Taboo”, an exhibition at London’s Aurum Gallery.  Her latest collection was exhibited at CELUX (the exclusive membership club salon in the penthouse of the Louis Vuitton building in Omotesando, Tokyo) as part of a “bedroom-boudoir installation”.  Her work was also exhibited at The Erotic Museum in Los Angeles in 2005.

But the thing that’s most striking about Shiri is that she seems to be living her dream, doing what she wants on her own terms, blazing a new trail for people, and making a reputation for herself. 

Uleshka, of pingmag, recently interviewed Shiri here, and it was one of the most fun reads you’ll find anywhere.

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Limited Edition Double Ended Molten Crystal Piece with 60 Swarovski studded handle which retails for about $1800 - Design and Copyright by Shiri Zinn.

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Brown croc print leather with ebony wood handle and pink hair braids
which retails for about $250-$300 - Design and Copyright by Shiri Zinn 2006.

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Black & Clear Solid Molten Glass Piece with sterling silver stand
which retails for about $1800 - Design and Copyright by Shiri Zinn.

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The Minx Vibrator - Shiri transformed her famous Pink Glass Piece into this designer vibrator which retails for about $300 - Design and Copyright by Shiri Zinn.

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Shiri Zinn’s designs are located at shirizinn.com and can also be acquired at finer Coco de Mer establishments. 

Coco de Mer is opening their first US store during October at 8618 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90069.  Contact information can be found on their website here.
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant.  Unpretentious.  Unconventional. ©

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Number Fourteen

So you think your iPod playlist is pretty good?  Exactly how good?  In terms of O, do you think 1?  2?  3?  More?

And which songs hit the spot for you?  Does Massive Attack do it for you?  Goldfrapp?  Hed Kandi’s Winter Chill ‘06?  Joi?  Or are you more along the lines of Gotan Project’s “Last Tango in Paris”? 

Now you can find out for yourself with OhMiBod.  Just attach your iPod and don’t forget your Acsexsories. 

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Update (2006Oct26):  The inimitable Lazy Geisha, has the definitive and the most delicious review of the OhMiBod here.
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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant.  Unpretentious.  Unconventional. ©

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Number Thirteen

Qua (insofar as)
by Scarlet (of “Her Scarlet Letters”)

I’m the member of a generation who can name the first Jenna Jameson movie, but our photographic reference, our connection to still images of sex, in terms of artistry, is limited. 

We’ve become addicted to motion. The investment, visually, in something that intimates stillness, might serve to allow partners the chance to, gasp, slow down. Take in the sights. Invest in subtlety and the slow evaluation of a partner. It’s harder to imitate a photograph, but if we see something erotic, replicable, we still are forced to put our own stamp on the image. Moving images allow for our sloppy, slow replication of an original. In the simplest terms, it’s not the same.

A photograph captures one version of an image, and restricts the viewers focus to a visual, emotional, or motion – frozen, within a frame. Good photography does not speak in conventional language, rather, slides one observation into our view and leaves the rest to us. Like most significant sexual encounters, it suggests, then leaves us breathless.

I wish that most photographs could encapsulate a real intimate connection.  I personally believe that sex can make us glamorous. Dripped in honey – amber light, and can provide some visual glimpse of something beyond conventional pleasure.  Something more guttural – challenging. A view that I haven’t caught in the glimpse of a mirror – or in a lover, fields I have yet to roam, terrain yet uninvestigated.

Photography credits: “Syruptitious” by Scott Murdoch; “Glow” by Daniel & Sabrina.  Visit them here.  (JW)

Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant.  Unpretentious.  Unconventional. ©

Monday, September 04, 2006

Number Twelve

Je Joue combines Sensual Intelligence with programming to bring you a new experience.

And it’s gotten some rave fans here.

Je Joue presents its’ Sensual Massager…

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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant.  Unpretentious.  Unconventional. ©

Number Eleven

Stop

It’s time to play now.  Njoy brings something new to the bedchamber.  Stainless Steel. Three of them.  Delightful!

The inimitable Chelsea Girl has thoroughly reviewed them here.

And the sexybrilliant Lazy Geisha has an excellent review here.

Njoy presents...

the Pure Wand

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the Fun Wand

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the Pure Plugs

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Sincerely.
Eve and JW3 and Mélisande
Dirty Girl Things ©
Unrepentant.  Unpretentious.  Unconventional. ©