Erotica for women is blooming on social. As she is building a better Internet for women with her platform Lips, Annie Brown has uncovered many talented sex-positive artists online and share with us her selection. Cultivate your erotic imagination!
Erotic art is a loaded term. Pinpointing what is erotic art really depends on what we personally, or as a society deems to be “erotic” or “art” – a very subjective task. If you consider nudity erotic, then a large portion of art throughout history could be considered erotic art.
The line between erotic art and pornography is incredibly difficult to define as well. In his official opinion for Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964) ruling in favor of the right of Nic Jacobellis to screen the French erotic film, The Lovers, Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart famously wrote “I know it when I see it,” to explain that the distinction between erotica and pornography (which would not be legally protected as art) was intuitive.
Even though the posting of erotic art is protected by many governments, global tech companies such as Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr regularly ban and delete these works due to poorly functioning algorithms that are incapable of understanding the difference between porn and erotica.
Annie’s selection of erotic accounts on Instagram
The following are some of my favorite erotic artists – who also happen to be deleted, censored and banned from social media on a regular basis. Most of these artists also have backup accounts in the very likely case that their counts will be deleted, so be sure to follow them there as well.
As a non-binary person of color, Gabriella captures a vast diversity of ways love, sex and relationships can be experienced in their illustrations. Their art contains bright colors, intimate moments and relatable characters.
Melodie’s art can catch you off guard. Her minimalist lines and muted colors balance the bold, sexual illustrations – always heightened by a blunt sense of humor.
At first, you might not know what to think of the statements made in Sarey’s art. Then, you realize these statements are REAL MESSAGES sent to the artist via dating apps and you are relieved, confused, upset and unsurprised all at the same time. Sarey’s art is clever, in-your-face and exposes the rampant sexism, anti-semitism and pure stupidity that remains ever present in the world of online dating. Also, I love that she cites the first names of these men in her works.
Don’t let her cartoon style and limited color pallet fool you, Agathe is an erotic artist. Her artwork often covers themes of love, sex and relationships – boiling these themes down to their universal elements, making it easy for so many of us to relate.
Kristen’s art is epic. Her almost neon color pallet lights up the intimate spaces (bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.) of her subjects as we look in like peeping toms. Kristen’s art typically depicts acts we engage in when we are alone – shaving our legs, bathing, masturbating. An image of a woman reclining in bed in her pajamas with sex toys scattered around the room was recently banned from being displayed on NYC public transportation ad space.
One of only two male-identified persons on this list, Antonio is an extremely talented body positive artist. His works and the figures occupying them shine with confidence, self-love and beauty – helping viewers to appreciate the diversity of bodies. In a world where nudity is banned except in cases of mass media and celebrity, Antonio’s art helps us love ourselves for who we are – perfectly imperfect.
Janice is a real person, not a robot. She emphasizes this because her account is often categorized as one of the many “robo models” popping up on social media these days. Janice’s alter-ego/creation, Opal, exists at the “crossroads of blackness, sexuality, and the-life-of-a-person-who’s-perceived-as-a-woman.”
In a recent interview, Janice explained, “think it strips a lot of what I find important about my work away from it to just be like ‘Oh I get it she’s supposed to be a digital model to replace real life models,’ as opposed to an extension of how I perceive myself.”
Colorful, fun, empowering and brimming with love – Louisa’s nude portraits are unlike any other you will find online. If you’ve thought about getting a nude portrait done, but are bit weary – Louisa’s approachable, friendly and cute style is a great place to start.
Take your erotica game further
@arianaanhaltphoto: Ariana is an up-and-coming photographer to look out for. Her style is vintage, but with modern themes and bold colors that set it apart from other photographers in this style group. She is able to capture beautiful, raw moments – many of them intimate.
I am, simply put, obsessed. The second male artist on this list, Sad Amish is secretive about sharing his personal identity online. However, as an online personality, Sad Amish is among one of the most popular erotic artists online – and for good reason. His talent in capturing the female (and male!) form is unparalleled, often depicting his subjects wrapped in elaborate bondage.
Bambi’s art takes no prisoners. Besides the female form, her art inspirations include fetishism, Japanese culture, mental health, feminist issues, mythology, body horror, sex, pop culture, death, literature and witchcraft. She often thumbs her nose at social media’s censorship policies and is unafraid to share her erotic vision online.
Hannah’s art is unapologetically sexy, with feminine pops of color and sleek, curved lines. She is often inspired by cam girls, strippers and NSFW models of instagram – emphasizing the intertwined relationship between these sex-positive online communities.
Several of the above artists are offering their works as rewards for the Lips crowdfunding campaign. Lips is raising money to build an uncensored sharing platform for creative, sexual expression – click here to learn more.
Annie Brown is the founder of Lips, a cryptographic creative sharing platform for women*
Explore our library of women’s erotica with free short stories written by women, for women and based on real women’s fantasies. Don’t hesitate to make the reading more fun with our collection of intimate products for women!
