Natural Erotica: The Art of Alphachanneling
The post-postmodern age of the contemporary times has witnessed the emergence of social media as a platform where visual artists, poets, writers, actors, musicians and filmmakers can exhibit their art. While budding musicians and filmmakers have sought YouTube as a medium to gather viewership, Instagram is emerging as a sphere in which photographers, painters, sculptors and graphic artists are finding their solace and a stage to display their artworks. The modern institution of art gallery is being challenged by the children of the new era.
Of the many Instagram artist, as they are known, who have used the social network to exhibit the reflection of their artistic instinct, American painter 'Alphachanneling' has transformed his Instagram feed into a lush erotic jungle diffusing robust sexual energy. Employing the imagery of flowering vines, petals, bodies, trees, leaves and flesh, his work can be explained with the term 'Natural Erotica', underlining the sexual relation shared by man and woman using floral icons.
The artworks at a quick glance are characterised by floral elements blowing gently in a cool breeze, with soft pastel tones and free flowing lines. The softness of the visual imagery often brings to mind illustrations of children's books. However, as one moves closer, one sees the other side of the coin which is marked by heavy sexual undertones, oven visiting the corridors of hardcore sex and BDSM, which juxtaposes the visual imagery. The dynamism the artist exhibits also bears a strong brutal character and has elements of what is termed as 'hatefucking' (a sexual practice in which the participants indulge in a rough and abusive manner of making love involving verbal and physical abuse). The artist also uses strong language to title his works, with some of the most popular being 'lovers cumming hard' and 'Fucking beyond time and space'.
Interestingly, while the floral imagery in the works of Alphachanneling can be read as a symbolic metaphor to signify evolution, the dynamism of the brutal sexuality opposes this belief right there right then. His attempts successfully underline the Freudian conflict between the ID and the Superego - the neverending conflict between the strong unconscious desire for the forbidden and the morale balance of a thinking mind.
