By Editor Design.nl / 28-01-2010

Fertility images have existed for centuries. There are figurines from the ancient world of women with large breasts, broad hips, and pronounced genitals, as well as male fertility sculptures, often in the shape of a phallus. 

Once, it was clear to everyone that sculptures of this kind symbolized the divinity of the creative force, fertility, and the gift of life. Worshipping these fertility symbols was not an act of obscenity, but a form of religion. But in the oversexed visual culture of the modern West, how differently we view these sculptures. All too often, people see little more in them than a coarse sexual reference.

The exhibition LINGAM in Museum Catharijneconvent Utrecht presents 122 contemporary interpretations of an age-old Eastern religious fertility symbol. At the invitation of guest curator Ruudt Peters, artists, designers, and jewellery makers from 24 countries have drawn inspiration from this ancient tradition of fertility symbolism.

Lingam
The lingam is a wooden or stone object in the shape of a phallus, which represents life and fertility. In Hindu and Buddhist cultures, the lingam is worshipped and revered. It is not only a fertility symbol, but also stands for a primeval creative force, a force that is strongly linked to sexual energy. In Southeast Asia, reverence for life and religion are closely linked. Lingam worship takes place frequently and in public places. In contrast, in the West, the lingam is seen mainly as a symbol of lust and sex. The exhibition 'Lingam. 122 contemporary fertility symbols' aims to provide artistic alternatives to our present-day Western interpretation of the lingam and, in the process, to take a fresh look at this symbol’s original, sacred context.

Fertility
The exhibition curator, Ruudt Peters, is an artist and professor at the Ädellab at Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, and this event marks his departure as a teacher there. His fascination with the lingam inspired him to ask artists and designers to create their own fertility symbols. These contributors explored the subject through the lens of their own experiences, each producing a personal artistic statement about fertility. To emphasize the original, sacred context of this type of object, the exhibition 'Lingam. 122 contemporary fertility symbols' at Museum Catharijneconvent will pair these modern-day fertility symbols with their historical predecessors.

Selected participating artists include Frederic Braham, Helen Britton, Iris Eichenberg, Nedda El-Asmar, Ruud-Jan Kokke, Daniel Kruger, Anders Lagombra, Suska Mackert, Ted Noten, Ruudt Peters, Zeger Reyer, Lucy Sarneel, Studio Makkink & Bey, Johanna Schweizer, Marcel Wanders, Christoph Zellweger.

Image 1: Ted Noten, Messin’ around with Willie, Henk, Photography by Rob Versluys
Image 2: Joana Meroz and Erik Kuiper

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