This historically significant masterpiece sets an elite high-end standard, establishing itself as a premier example of contemporary archival photography that challenges societal taboos through a highly stylized, baroque lens. Shot in 1996 during Andres Serrano's most prolific and fiercely debated creative period in New York, the vertical composition belongs to his landmark series A History of Sex, which recontextualizes human intimacy through theatrical performance. The raw framing captures a figure wearing dramatic white clown makeup and an ornate, detailed black and white ruffled lace collar, staring with absolute psychological sovereignty at the camera during an explicit sexual act with a second costumed partner. Expertly developed as a premium, vintage Cibachrome print—celebrated in the art market for its archival longevity.

In the portraits of The History of Sex, taken in 1996 in the Netherlands, the camera looks directly at the models, who respond in kind. Eyes first seems to be the guiding principle of most of the portraits that address the culture of sex.
Impeccable, unsettling, innocent, irreverent, hopeful, the photographs possess a glossy sheen, highlighting details, combining angles, exploding with color, embracing freedom as a possibility and the end as a certainty.
Serrano's retrospective will resonate with each viewer in a unique way. Everything is here: fury, nostalgia, passion, tenderness, critique, loneliness, life, and death; that's why they are impossible to look away from.
"I’ve never called myself a photographer. I studied painting and sculpture and see myself as an artist with a camera. I learned everything I know about art from Marcel Duchamp who taught me that anything, including a photograph, could be a work of art." -Andres Serrano.

Incorporate an iconic document from the history of contemporary art and a powerful conceptual statement into your space; acquire this archival contemporary photography work by Andres Serrano on our website.