Hydra 2008 by Jonathan Yeo

What do George Bush, Paris Hilton and Hugh Hefner have in common? British artist Jonathan Yeo (Juxtapoz #103) has made porn collages of them. Yes, we said porn collages. Hear him discuss the origins of his technique, process, and unique finishing touches he uses in each of his cubism meets porn collage pieces in a video interview.

Somehow, Yeo has been able to de-sexualize porn via his perfectly pieced collages, which originated after the Bush regime asked him to create a portrait of President Bush. The team eventually pulled out (no pun intended) and Yeo decided to try out a concept he’d been toying with: making collages out of porn magazines.[From Juxtapoz Magazine – Let’s Talk Porn Collages by Jonathan Yeo | Current]

It’s interesting to see how his original concept has changed and progressed. while the content of the linked article is very glib I remember writing about Yeo’s original George Bush collage in 2007 – Is my face red? President Bush Covered in Porn

what has struck me about Yeo’s work from the beginning is the wonderful technical skill involved. the nudes he is now creating show no less talent. Originally I believed the porn was just a gimmick, now I see deeper meanings in the creation of very beautiful and non sexual nudes through the use of collaged porn. while this is still not family safe it does highlight, to me anyway, how porn is sexualized but nudes are not, and even the inclusion of highly sexual content does not have to make them sexual objects in themselves.