First Museum Exhibition Devoted to Dodson’s Work and Life
NEW YORK, N.Y. /CitizenWire/ — The Museum of Sex (MoSex) proudly announces details about its winter exhibition, “BAD: Betty A. Dodson & the Liberation of Masturbation, A Tribute”. This exhibition, the first museum retrospective devoted to Dodson’s nearly 70-year career as an artist and educator, will be on view at the Museum of Sex (233 Fifth Avenue) starting December 14, 2020.
Composed of over 50 paintings, drawings, photographs, videos, and ephemera – all reflecting Dodson’s unflinching belief in sexual equality for women-the show is organized chronologically, offering an in-depth look at the progression of Dodson as artist, educator, and feminist icon. Dodson illuminates aspects of sexuality, especially women’s sexuality, that many would rather ignore.
According to Carlin Ross, Dodson’s business partner, Dodson’s “self-love and devotion to pleasure inspired generations of women to look inward and tell the rest of the world to f**k off.” The show confronts controversial subjects with an impassioned honesty that can be liberating, challenging, and beautiful.
No one believed in the emancipatory power of self-touch more than Dodson. Told through her paintings, drawings, and words, “BAD: Betty A. Dodson & the Liberation of Masturbation, A Tribute” chronicles Betty’s journey from a young artist discovering her own sexuality and power in 1950s New York to an adult repressing her desires. She eventually became the well-known liberated feminist who embraced her own sexual needs, destigmatized masturbation, and mentored others-particularly women-on their own voyages in search of self-acceptance and fulfillment.
“Betty is a true feminist icon who spent her entire life fighting for women’s liberation through the embrace of pleasure,” says Daniel Gluck, the Museum of Sex’s executive director and founder. “Betty was one of the museum’s advisors and we are honored to be able to introduce our visitors to her rich history and legacy.”
“BAD: Betty A. Dodson & the Liberation of Masturbation, A Tribute” was organized by Karen Eckhaus, associate curator.
ABOUT BETTY A. DODSON
Betty A. Dodson (1929-2020) achieved international recognition with several groundbreaking erotic art exhibitions in the 1960s and 1970s before leaving the art world to become a feminist sex teacher. She designed and facilitated workshops that taught masturbation skills so women could explore their own sexual pleasure. In 1974 she self-published her first book, “Liberating Masturbation: A Meditation on Selflove”. Her book “Sex for One” was published in 1986 and became a paperback classic when it was revised in 1996. “Orgasms for Two” (2002) embraced partner sex and “Sex by Design” is a memoir that details her experiences with America’s sexual revolution, the women’s movement, and her feminist sexual activism. She received a Ph.D. in sexology in 1992 and has produced three videotapes that document her pioneering teaching methods. Dodson was recently named one of the top ten sexual revolutionaries by Cosmopolitan magazine and number 43 of the 100 most important people in sex by Playboy Magazine.
Learn more about her work on her website, https://dodsonandross.com/ (mature content).
ABOUT MUSEUM OF SEX
The mission of the Museum of Sex is to preserve and present the history, evolution, and cultural significance of human sexuality. Since opening in 2002, the museum has collaborated with world-renowned cultural institutions, artists, and academics to create exhibitions and interactive programs that explore the best in current scholarship in the arts, sciences, and humanities. From fine art to historical ephemera, its permanent collection is comprised of more than 15,000 sexually significant artifacts.
For more information, visit: https://www.museumofsex.com/ (mature content).
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