You Are My Bellowed by Tony Barca
Darya
01/30/2024
3 min
0

The Pillow Book for Modern Amazons by Toni Barca

01/30/2024
3 min
0

The project of the French-born artist Toni Barca immediately catches one's attention as it touches on a delicate yet important theme that rarely becomes a subject of erotic art. The series of linocuts, a bit resembling some of Picasso's sensual sketches, formed Songs of Solomon: A Pillow Book for Breast Cancer Survivors & Their Lovers. The Hay House funded the issue of the book in 2013.

 The Breast Cancer Journey  by Tony Barca

Fig. 1. The Breast Cancer Journey 

 Amazon by Tony Barca

Fig. 2. Amazon

 Picasso, erotic series no.3

Fig. 3. Picasso, erotic series no.3 (mutualart.com)

The Womb Temple

Nowadays, Toni Barca describes herself as a spiritual coach, hypnotherapist, and psychic tarot reader. On her Sacred Womb Temple Healing platform, she sells one-hour healing sessions and also offers help as a twin flames expert (the new age version of the platonic myth about androgynes who were cut in two by gods). In her blog, she calls the womb a compass that may guide a woman, yet mentions that "the compass was not handed to you at birth with the directives that spoke to your heart, you had to earn them, you had to learn them by knowing what you need to be fulfilled." The combination of something close to the Kantian sapere aude ("use your brain") motto with widespread esoteric discourse is truly remarkable. 

 Buddha and his consort by Tony Barca

Fig. 4. Buddha and his consort 

 Trust Me Again by Toni Barca

Fig. 5. Trust Me Again

 I Am Crazy About You by Toni Barca

Fig. 6. I Am Crazy About You

A Lifelong Fascination With Warriors

According to Toni, her father was "a modern-day pirate and a bon vivant," whatever it could mean, so by the age of fourteen, she had already traveled across the world. Probably, this experience drew her to the ancient Amazons, mythological female warriors engaged in battles and expeditions of conquest. The idea of the book started taking shape in her mind when she was only ten. From her mother, Toni learned the story of a top British model who underwent a double mastectomy and was abandoned by her boyfriend. At the same time, she knew that Amazons were supposed to have a tradition of cutting one breast off for better archery. Let's mention that according to the folk etymology of Greeks, the name of the tribe means "breastless." Thirty-five years later, these concepts finally aligned in the artist's mind. 

 Believe In Our Love by Toni Barca

Fig. 7. Believe In Our Love

 Breath and Water by Toni Barca

Fig. 8. Breath and Water

 You Are My Bellowed by Tony Barca

Fig. 9. You Are My Bellowed 

In Premium more on Toni's view on human sexuality the contradiction between the image of an artist and the message of their work and more images of the artist's striking linocuts..

Click HERE for an article on the controversial engraver Eric Gill and his everlasting 'Song of Songs'

Sources: sacredwombtemplehealing.com; pasadenaweekly.com; images are taken from artmajeur.com

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