19 July

Get Ready For the Flying Vulva Potholders

by Jon Katz
The Flying Vulva Potholders

Maria is in a good mood today, I knew she was cooking up something special in her magical Schoolhouse Studio. She came into my study beaming, holding up some fabric with a design I at first took as being the rough sketch of a bird or goddess.

When I looked more closely, I realized what it was a drawing of four vulvas – a women’s external sex organ, complete with clitoris at the top. These vulvas are on the way to many homes.

I am a vulva/vagina admirer big time, and I was thrilled to see this, Maria said the Flying Vulva Potholders would ready for sale in a day or so on her Etsy page.

Vulvas have long been a taboo subject for many oppressed minds, and also a symbol of freedom and strength for many others. It is perhaps inevitable that Maria, who does a fair amount of feminist art in her studio, would come up with a vulva potholder.

I will be honest and say that I can’t say enough about vulvas and vaginas (although one could say too much, I suppose), they are wondrous and sensitive and feeling things. Enough said, yes?

Or maybe not enough.

In our time, as women are rising up everywhere to perhaps save our world, I bow to the vulva, and soon, to the Flying Vulva potholders. I believe many women and men would celebrate the vulva as a statement to the world about the strength of women.

You can follow this stirring creation on Maria’s blog.

11 Comments

  1. I don’t know why we cannot keep our genitals private. Why do we need to flaunt our vulvas, vaginas, clitoris’, menstruation? Yes we are women and yes that’s pretty cool but I really cannot see hanging vulva pot holders in my kitchen. There are so many other things out there that can be beautiful art.
    Why are you both so fascinated with female body parts and when are the penis pot holders coming?

    1. Donna, I don’t know why people can’t let other people express themselves in legal and respectful and creative ways that they wish. You are clucking like a hen, I believe artists can express themselves in any way they wish, and if I don’t like it, I don’t have to buy it or look at it. Neither do you. No one is forcing you to put a vulva hanging pot in your kitchen (I love writing this.) Artists have been sculpting, painting and re-creating genitals and vaginas for thousands of years – check out ancient Rome and Greece. It was only in the 1850’s in England that stuffy men decided this stuff was taboo and immoral and that women were too weak to look at it. You sound joyless and stuffy, I hope you are not. People love Maria’s penis potholders and from what I see, her vulva’s as well.
      She doesn’t need to be as grim and judgmental as you. I am very fascinated with vulva’s, not penis’s so much. This is her art, not mine, but she can express herself in any way she wishes, and lots of people like the way she does it.

      I am a vulva fan for sure, you don’t need the details. And we both love other things in art that are beautiful. I am liking the idea of a hanging vulva pot holder, I would hang one in my study in a minute. And I respect this as a symbol of women’s freedom, which it has been for 1,000 years. My advice to you is lighten up, or if that doesn’t work, just avoid the vulva’s and penis potholders. No one has been killed or injured by one that I know, and you can’t say that for most religions.

      1. P.S.Donna, Maria has not shown anyone other than me her vulva that i know of…I surely have not shown my genitals around, and I know very few people who would want to see them.

    1. Lynda, you seem to have forgotten to comment, there’s just one insulting word and an exclamation point…If you actually have something thoughtful to say, I’d love to hear it…
      Otherwise — “Exciting!”

  2. First of all I apologize for my rather harsh reaction to the vulva pot holders. They are what some would call art however I still do not like them and really they cannot be compared to the ancient art of Rome and Greece.
    I don’t feel I need too “lighten up”. I am fine thanks.
    Art is a matter of opinion and mine was pretty strong, your right I don’t need to buy it which I wouldn’t.
    I just don’r understand the fascination with genitals? What makes a person is what is in the brain not between the legs.

    1. Thanks for the discussion, Donna, it was worthwhile I think, and I thank you for it. Artists have always used genitalia as inspiration for symbols of masculinity and femininity as you probably know. Just think of the sculptures in Greece and Rome, considered to be among the greatest art in history. I don’t have the desire to use my genitals in that way, I must confess, but it is just art to me, an individual expression of an artist or sculptor. I don’t have genital art around me, if one can call it that, on my walls either, so we have some things in common. The only difference is I just don’t disapprove of it, and in Maria’s case, I see it as an expression of her own desire to find her voice and speak on behalf of women. She lost her voice and was shut down by the men in her life, so these symbols are important to her, and I think, judging by the reaction, to others as well. But reading your posts, I have respect for you, you express yourself well and in a civil way, that is important these days. I hope you will continue to follow the blog and comment on the things there, pro or con. I am not one of those people who hates those who disagree with me and needs to label them, and my comment about your lightening up was flip, and I apologize for it. It’s not my business to characterize you, I don’t know you. You are entitled to your opinion and expressed it well. I do think it’s important to remember that this condemnation of body or genital art is new, and was launched by men mostly in England because they thought women too weak to absorb it. You have given the lie to that argument. Today, I think it’s mostly a sign of changing feminist politics. We are in the midst of quite a social revolution, and it was not easy for Maria to do penis or vulva art, I can assure you. Hope to hear from you again.

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