A Strippers Requiem

Julie put on a really good show at the Doomed Gallery last night. With openings one is never sure whether people 'get it' or not, but people were looking thoughtfully at the documentation and the work on the wall, and Edie Lamort gave a smart little talk on how the stripping world was now shit. As far as Julie's work is concerned, I see it as (almost) Gerhard Richter on 'strippers', and I was very proud indeed.

But what sticks in my head was a very poignant and adult (rather than Adult) remark made by 'Billy' afterwards in the pub. She said (words to the effect that) 'I've been turning men on as a career for the whole of my adult life'. Well you could say, 'of course', but the matter of factness she gave to this expression was fabulous, as if 'don't you realise, thats what I do'. Of course, I was immediately 'turned on' if that is acceptable for a man of my age at this time in so called Western Civilisation.
Strippers tend to get really annoyed with guys who either want to 'save them' or want deeper meaning behind their entertainment; as if each man wants to get closer than anybody else and get some kind of secret. Blokes seem to thrive on that sort of competition, and the girls understand it, but it is at the same time rather pathetic. It is an unfortunate male trait; Homer understood it via Helen of Troy.
But when Billy said that simple phrase, I immediately 'got it' in a way I don't think I had before; it's a job, don't look into my life, pay me, and we are done. The fact she does this by rubbing her arse against a potentially erect dick makes no difference; it's a job, no worse than mining or steelwork I guess.
Edie Lamort had said much the same thing, but in lecture format. 'Why is there a problem with so called objectification? There is no problem for me!' This talk also rang with profundity; the garbage that surrounds discussion of this profession mirrors the garbage that litters our lexicon in general; 'emotional intelligence', 'wellbeing' 'focussed pluralism' are all attempts to square circles to a middle ground of limp dick. When 'Billy' said 'I've been turning men on as a career for the whole of my adult life' ; honestly and meaningfully, and even going on to describe the process in her terms; the bullshit was suddenly thrown in to the meaningless neoliberal trashcan to which it belongs.
Homer would have understood this too. No wonder strippers get bad press, they are some of the best, most honest, fun, people I know.

The show, who's subject is the East London Stripper Collective (ELSC) is open this weekend, and information is available via the Doomed Gallery website. Meanwhile, you could always contact Julie (who will be there over the weekend) via juliecookphotography.com. The image above is property of Julie Cook.