DIRTY COMICS

Prepare thyself for some Inappropriate Touching

By Marli Guzzetta

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In the nerd-sex hierarchy, dirty comic artists are above furries but below polyamorous Trekkies--according to Sarah Schoemann in a breathless, orgasmic moan.

That might be just the right level for the Washington Street Art Center, where Schoemann is producing "Inappropriate Touching," a group show of 20-plus dirty comics and artists, opening this Friday.

"People are sending me everything from stories of love and loss to images of just full-on boning," said the curatrix, who didn't really moan anything to me over the phone. She garnered her inspiration for this show from Alex Barry's similarly libidinous and much discussed show at the Museum School, which was taken down (gasp!) for its inappropriateness before Schoemann got a chance to see it.

Being a 21st-century girl, Schoemann took responsibility for her own pleasure and made her own show. It includes works by local comics hero Liz Prince, Phoenix contributor Karl Stevens, indie comics legend Ariel Schrag, Chicago comics fixture Jeffrey Brown, Vice back-page creator Johnny Ryan, adult graphic novelist Jason Little and "Darger-esque" artist Bonnie Dewitt.

Schoemann is turning out the illustrative format for its "intimacy" and "vitality." "Having sex portrayed that way gives it a vitality you wouldn't generally experience in porn," she said. "It doesn't have the same kind of cynicism."

Anyone who has been inside a public school restroom (or who has seen any of Josman's father/son-incest porntoons) knows that 2-D, cartoon images of sex are a kind of gateway-porn to images and concepts we may not have otherwise chosen to see in real life. And it's often peppered with a satirical or self-mocking humor.

"The format allows people to express those kinds of ideas in a way that would be horrifying if done literally," said Schoemann, whose teakettle whistled as she described the dirty disco and dance acts opening the show at 7PM—the virile DJ Area D will warm up for a live music gang bang by local cosmic-punk outfit The Real Life Time Machines, dark electro-popists Plunge Into Death and filthy electro R&B duo Angela, of Brooklyn.

Not wanting to be accused of false advertising, Mistress Schoemann would also like it known that the title of the show does not guarantee molestation. "I was simply trying to come up with a name that would discourage people from bringing children, even though there are cartoons," she said.

INAPPROPRIATE TOUCHING

THE WASHINGTON STREET ARTS CENTER

321 WASHINGTON ST.

SOMERVILLE

617.623.5325

FRI. 2.1/6-10 PM, EXHIBITION 2.1–2.24

WASHINGTONST.ORG