ARTIST STATEMENT
These art works are all centered around the mouth and questions what is considered edible. They provoke the viewers conception of what is deemed pornographic and what is a love language between two individuals.
My work depicts femme for femme queerness and aim to challenge the often misogynistic, heteronormative and objectifying view of these relationships. Femme queer relationships are so objectified and sexualized that they are often portrayed as a performance for straight cis men. I would like to reclaim the femme for femme sexuality as an authentic identity not as a performance catered to men.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Helena Calmfors is a queer artist, performer and BDSM professional based in Brooklyn. Originally from Sweden, she has worked and performed in New York since 2014.
The act of creating intimate scenes and experiences is present in all aspects of her work, ranging from watercolor paintings and drawings to performance and photography. Helena’s work is centered around taking control of the male gaze through the practice of femdom. She addresses issues around reclaiming ownership of body and identity through the hierarchical power play present in BDSM.
Helena’s performances explore female domination through BDSM rituals. She uses instant photography as a means of representing the ephemerality of performance rituals and the intimacy of the Dominant/submissive relationship. By using fluid strokes of watercolor and ink in her paintings, she illuminates the stark contrast between the rigid structure of BDSM and the beauty of ultimate trust in the depicted scenes.
© Helena Calmfors