brandt botes: obscene interiors.

UPDATE #2 – 01.26.08: I recently got an email from Brandt Botes asking me to post this apology to Justin Jorgenson. It’s easy to not be accountable for your actions in the blogosphere, and I think apologizing takes some guts. Here’s Brandt’s statement:

“Thanks for featuring my set on your blog. Since doing this in 2001, i got told about the original Obscene Interiors by Justin a few years later. I loved what he did to personal ads and the commentary he wrote – more than that i couldn’t think of a more apt description than Obscene Interiors. I carelessly hi-jacked the name in 2007 when i published my set on Flickr, without asking permission or giving credit.

When created, it was done so without knowing anything about Justin’s work. For me it revolved around a love of wallpaper and pattern – something found in excess in 70’s porn. Once the figures were removed, it became a “guess the position” scenario to boot.

Justin – apologies for using your name. I have changed it, for what it is worth. Other than that similarities between the work is purely coincidental.”

UPDATE #1 – 01.11.08: Since this post went up I’ve been contacted by artist Justin Jorgenson. Here’s what he said:

“FYI – this concept of removing the figures from porn began with a feature called “Obscene Interiors” on my website http://JustinSpace.com in 1999 and was covered shortly after by The New York Times and other publications. My collection of online male personal ads with the figures grayed out became a book, “Obscene Interiors: Hardcore Amateur Decor” published in 2004 by Baby Tatoo. This Brandt Botes person (aka Von Brandis) you’ve mentioned was clearly “inspired” by my work.”

I looked through his site and his claims are totally legit. Whether Brandt Botes had seen Jorgenson’s work before beginning his own is impossible to know. Either way, plagiarism is serious shit. Check out Justinspace to decide for yourself…

ORIGINAL POST:

And you thought the best part of vintage porn was the music (or possibly the glaring lack of pubic grooming). Well, think again…

Thanks to South African artist Brandt Botes‘ (aka Von Brandis) latest Flickr set, Obscene Interiors, we can now clearly see how vintage porn really excelled in “set design”. By removing the actual pornstars from old skool shots he found on the internet, we can now check out, unhindered, the no-holds-barred shag carpeted key party glory of it all. Plus the white silhouettes, positions discernible from the outlines but the details and money shots blurred away, are tantalizing little brain teasers. Of course our imaginations are pervier than reality… or at least mine is.

If you’re into it, he’s also got a (ultimately not-printed but still worthwhile) tee design on Threadless.

Via Juxtapoz