Porn As Performance Art?: Sasha Grey Releases “Neu Sex,” Her First Book of Art Photography
Courtesy of the artist and VICE Books
NEW YORK—Pornography has long been an au courant subject for contemporary art — see John Currin, Marilyn Minter, or Richard Prince — but it’s rare to find a working porn star who’s making art. (Ron Jeremy’s media empire isn’t exactly the Warhol Factory.) Enter Sasha Grey, the 23-year old adult film actress who has, like an open-minded and highly flexible comet, streaked across the mainstream media radar over these past few years. Suddenly there Grey was, in American Apparel ads. In Steven Soderbergh movies. On “Entourage,” dating Vince. And, as of today, promoting the release of her first book of art photography, “Neu Sex,” published by VICE Books.
Last night Grey was joined by friend and occasional collaboratorBrandon Stosuy for a standing-room only conversation at Housing Works Café. Dressed rather demurely, Grey shared her love for Cindy Sherman and Nan Goldin, and explained how she’s been able to recast her career in pornographic films as performance art.