Pornographic Drawing 1996

Cornelia Parker made this ink blot drawing in the style of a Rorschach test. The British artist is well known for her large-scale installations and sculptures that involve destroying objects then suspending the remains. This piece has all the hallmarks of a psychological test; symmetrical ink blots on bright white paper which create a shape that the viewer can interpret subjectively. The title immediately undermines this association with psychology. Parker is perhaps commenting on how the establishment, in this case the psychiatric institution, uses visual methods and cultural references to understand the individual. This piece might be a comment on how we interpret what we see according to the society and culture that we live in. To understand this piece further, we might research the history of psychology, the representation of sex in art, and the place of the artist in British society. We can use art history to explore the ways in which the meaning of art is bound to its social and institutional context.