Pornographic Drawing 1996

Cornelia Parker made this Pornographic Drawing at an unknown date. The inkblot image is suggestive but, for me, more comical than erotic. I wonder what it was like for Parker to make this work? Was she thinking about the history of psychoanalysis and the infamous Rorschach test? Or was it something more playful, like making symmetrical butterfly paintings as a kid? The title invites us to look for the obvious, but the beauty of the inkblot is that it can be anything. For me, this piece speaks to the history of making images, which I think is the most fascinating thing about art. There is something so primal about putting ink on paper, folding it in half, and seeing what emerges. Like a mirror, it throws back a reflection of our desires, fears, and fantasies. And isn’t that what art is all about?