Interview with Tatiana von Tauber, Art Porn

Tatiana von Tauber is an erotic artist. She currently lives in Savannah, Georgia. She is involved in multiple creative endeavors, including painting, digital art, boudoir photography, and writing fiction and nonfiction. Her work explores themes of eroticism, human freedom, and feminism. She has achieved success in art curation, exhibitions, and international book publication.

Fig 1.  Back It Up

Tatiana von Tauber examines sensuality, eroticism, and the human form in her figurative artwork. Tatiana believes that sexuality is an inherent aspect of human nature, and she sees pornography as an organic portrayal of the sexual act. These sexual fantasies visually represent the crucial actions necessary for humanity’s survival. By exploring art, concepts, philosophy, and politics, she seeks to understand the sensuality that fuels our cravings for pornography.

Tatiana von Tauber is both the founder of The Art Cure and the owner of the Studio School, a small art school where aspiring artists learn the techniques of drawing and painting.

Fig 2. Selfie

Please share your background and how it influences your work?

I was born in former Czechoslovakia in 1971 and experienced a unique journey from a refugee camp in Austria to becoming an American resident in 1977 and eventually a citizen in the 1980s. South Florida became my home, and during my formative years, I embraced the vibrant Latin-American and Hispanic culture of Miami. This environment fostered a deep appreciation for freedom and eroticism, which later inspired my journey into creative pursuits of photography and writing, landing on an academic study with a keen interest in sexual ethics. I left college to focus on motherhood and my creative pursuits took center stage. After a surplus of art supplies from a breast cancer charity event I organized sat unused for months in my living room, I explored painting. Initially dabbling in pastel portraits as a hobby artist, I discovered myself on a professional path of painting themes about sex and eroticism.

Fig 3. Oooh

What motivated you to create art porn?

Aside from what in hindsight was a meant-to-be passion project, the work of American oil painter John Currin profoundly influenced me. His large-format pornographic painting series based on Danish porn found on the internet, exhibited publicly at the Gagosian gallery in NYC, challenged my perception of what was possible in art. I was living in Savannah, Georgia, a liberal enclave in a conservative state. Inspired by Currin’s audacity, I thought, “If a man can paint porn and get away with it, why can’t I?” This realization propelled me to create a collection of paintings, motivated by the belief that eroticism could be both a legitimate and provocative artistic expression.

Fig 4. Big Ben

Are you connected with other artists, and how do they provide support?

Owning an independent arts school in Savannah for a decade connected me deeply with the local arts community. This daily interaction provided mutual support—friendship, information, recommendations, opportunities, workshops, events, and peer review help. Many of these connections have strengthened into lifelong friendships and admired peers. I advocate for aspiring artists to find an “artist buddy,” accountability partner, or join a local arts organization to share common struggles and gain moral support and unexpected opportunities.

Fig 5. Corp Affair

How do stereotypes influence or challenge the depiction of intimacy in your artwork?

My paintings often begin with what I find beautiful, gradually developing into deeper messages through intuition and creative exploration. The intimacy depicted in my work reflects a profound relationship with my inner self, driven by curiosities, research on sexual topics, and hedonistic inquiries. I seek the beauty of eroticism in my surroundings and delve into it. This process involves vulnerability and courage, often leading to the most profound and meaningful insights. I appreciate the distinctiveness between men and women in their “perfect” states—fit and sexually vigorous—symbolizing youth and our reproductive value. Historically, these qualities were essential for the continuation of humanity through sexual desire and the ability to act upon it. In my work, I strive to preserve the natural and authentic beauty of men and women, particularly in their sexuality, in an idealized way.

While pornography can often portray sex in a less attractive light, erotic painting aims to capture an idealistic vision of human sexuality, where men are well endowed, women are perfect, and everyone is happy. The reality of sex is messy and fraught with responsibility, but the fantasy of sex allows for perfection and idealism, which reality seldom, if ever, produces.

Fig 6. Lollipop Party

Can you explain your collaboration process with models?

My creation of Art Porn did not involve real-life models, but relied on online porn photographs, driven by practicality and my comfort level as an artist. Painting bodies in intimate poses is a slow and challenging process, differing significantly from photographing or filming. While John Currin faced criticism for using Danish porn magazine photos as a source instead of actual models, I see the path to creating pornographic art as gradual, requiring dedication and personal comfort over time; unless you’re a pornographer, which differs in mindset and process to a fine art painter. While I enjoy painting from life, and have for many years for portrait and figure studies, I prefer to photograph a model and work privately in my studio, bringing a model in for color studies if need be. My artwork is a combination of online sources, personal photographs and hired life models.

Fig 7. Coupling

How do American viewers perceive your art porn compared to viewers in other countries?

The perception of my Art Porn varies significantly between American and international audiences. In the U.S., finding galleries or spaces to exhibit my work has been challenging because of differing cultural attitudes towards sexuality. A Czech friend’s jaw dropping shock to hearing one of my art collectors had hung my painting in their bathroom versus their living room highlights the stark contrast in cultural views. This experience underscores the broader, more accepting perspective on erotic art in Europe compared to the often conservative stance in America.

What visual elements, emotions, and narratives are you exploring now?

Currently, my focus is on US politics and gender ideology, which is currently leading me to paint a small political art collection, Circa 2024. These themes have haunted me for a couple of years, urging me to create this art collection to process and move beyond them. Reflecting on past views with a mature lens, I maintain my admiration for the inherent beauty of men and women, advocating for a return to respect gender differences rather than promoting fluidity as a transient trend. I understand this is an unpopular view but I have never felt more silenced by “out there” as an artist, a citizen, and a woman than in 2024. We are in troubled times and I’m using art to cope, process and rebel yell.

In the extended Premium edition of the interview you can learn more about Von Tauber's beliefs regarding sexuality and its reflections in art, whose artistic style has had the biggest influence on her work, her favorite medium, the books she's reading at the moment and more unique "art porn" images provided by the artist.

Tatiana is active on Instagram

Click HERE for the author's interview with the French painter Paul Laurenzi famous for his depiction of curvaceous temptresses

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