Queer street artist Lauren YS has spoken out about a controversial mural depicting a bound and gagged woman, explaining the artwork on the side of a Fitzroy building is all about “empowerment and queer selfhood”.
Speaking to the Herald Sun, Lauren YS — who uses they/them pronouns — said the art emerged from a curiosity to try painting latex as a technical challenge and as an homage to shibari, a Japanese form of rope bondage.
The mural titled Kinbakubi was requested by a tenant of the building who asked them to “paint something LGBTQ+ inspired”.
“The building owner and tenants approved and loved the idea. It is about empowerment and queer selfhood,” they explained.
It was commissioned by a photographer who specialised in queer safe and sex worker safe photos, they added.
Lauren YS first shared a picture of the mural on Instagram on May 5, describing the work as a “parting gift for Melbourne / for the dolls”.
But, it quickly went on to garner some pretty mixed reactions, with City of Yarra mayor Stephen Jolly telling ABC Radio Melbourne the council had received over 1,000 emails in the last two days regarding the artwork.
Some residents of the suburb claimed the art was “done for the reason of stirring a bit of controversy” and argued against having such sexualised images around children.
Another resident told ABC Radio it represents “a culture that a lot of people don’t know about” and that shibari is a “beautiful artform that brings intimacy in people”.
Social media users have also been pretty torn, with one Reddit user commenting it is “too much raunch and bondage for street art” while others praised the “beautifully executed” art.
The location was chosen specifically to avoid foot traffic, Lauren YS explained, and was no more lewd than other storefronts in the area.
“There is a sex shop a few blocks away on a much higher trafficked street with synthetic boobs in the window,” they said.
“I would not have painted this in a higher trafficked area.”
They also refuted allegations that the mural went against consent standards and was “objectifying”.
“This mural shows the least amount of skin of any of my murals. Anyone imposing negative narratives onto it is incorrectly assuming its meaning,” they said, per the Herald Sun.
The artist said the mural was “painted on commission at a photo studio”. (Source: Instagram)
Among the most vocal critics of the artwork has been Collective Shout, a grassroots movement against the objectification of women and sexualisation of girls in media, advertising, and pop culture. They’ve criticised the work as an image that “eroticised violence against women”.
Yarra Residents’ Collective spokesman Adam Promnitz also stated that, while that artwork may be great in a private space, “in the street it is the wrong time and wrong place”.
“Families and members of the public should not be subject to X-rated artwork without consent,” he said.
As of Monday, the Fitzroy mural has been tagged over, with the words “V.DOGS.DR” graffitied over the bottom half of the painting.
A Yarra City Council spokesperson said that its Planning Enforcement team continued to investigate the issue on Monday and indicated the matter of community concern was “between Council and the property owner and occupier”, per the Herald Sun.
Lead image: Instagram
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