The cops might not have been able to do much about the naked images of model Natalie White in the window of the Rox Gallery at 86 Delancey St. – but the building owner is putting his foot down. According to the Post:
On the owner’s orders, the operators of the ROX Gallery have put a caution sign over a lurid picture hanging in their Delancey Street window that shows model Natalie White masturbating. The sign is positioned to cover her vagina. “The landlord said to cover the vagina in some way,” said ROX Gallery director Emerald Fitzgerald, who slapped a sign on the glass window. “He said he wanted to protect the community.” The decision left White, 24, outraged. “I don’t believe in censorship, I don’t ever want to be censored,”
After neighbors complained, police officers stopped by last week, but they did not shut the show down. The exhibit features dozens of nude photos of White shot by famous photographers. The opening reception drew a large crowd. This is only the second show at the Rox Gallery; which just officially opened last month. It’s located in the building that’s been home to Moscot, the historic eye wear business, for 80 years. Moscot is preparing to move across the street. 86 Delancey St. was purchased in 2011 by Helm Equities; a separate company known as Odela LLC was set up for the transaction.
Censorship is only needed for people who exercise bad judgement.
So right! Bravo to the landlord! Natalie White’s affliction – pathological exhibitionism- shouldn’t be foisted on the LES community. If you think the window is bad, you would be totally disgusted, as I was, after viewing the exhibit inside.
We can’t take women’s bodies out of the global context of sexual exploitation – no matter who is doing the exploiting. It isn’t pathological – it’s sexism and women try different ways to combat it – her way of trying to “own” her own body? All of us try to sort this. None of us superior to this young woman but yes hard to witness. And yes, not thoughtful of girls and boys already inundated by abusive or unaware images of women. Not thoughtful of women who’ve had tough things happen, not great for men who are hurt into feeling so isolated they lose integrity on this repeatedly. And once again a worn out idea of what is possible in the area of sex, humans and art.
Natalie White is trying to ‘combat sexual exploitation’ through her outrageous exhibitionism? Are you kidding?? Ms. White is in fact furthering the sexual exploitation of women, and the Rox NYC Gallery is complicit in this as they use this pornographic show as a desperate PR tactic to get visitors ( dirty old men, sexual predators, wannabe hipsters, etc.) to come to this show.
Please… get over yourself. It’s in bad taste and not to mention bad art nonetheless. Even Mapplethorpe had some redeeming qualities. The only difference is that the gallery is not off the I-95 and she not getting paid by the lap dance.
So well put!!