BlackBook Publishing, Dr. Amir Marashi and LELO, the world’s leading designer of intimate lifestyle products, are thrilled to announce the global release of A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO PLEASURE: a 270-page large format coffee table art book featuring +60 of the most important female-identifying artists, writers and creative thinkers of the last century as they explore the idea of pleasure — and empowerment — in all its forms. Iconic works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Louise Bourgeois, Judy Chicago, Tracey Emin and Jenny Holzer run alongside contributions from photographers like Cindy Sherman, Carrie Mae Weems, Marilyn Minter and Nan Goldin, as well as talent including Mickalene Thomas, Martine Gutierrez, Harley Weir and Nina Chanel Abney, plus an exclusive colouring book by RIP Bambi. With forewords by New York Times bestselling authors Erica Jong and Roxane Gay, and original essays and texts by Stoya, Erika Lust, Pussy Riot and the late cult author, Kathy Acker, among others.
Photos – BlackBook Media archive ©
For most of history, the female experience has been presented by and explored through the voices, views and laws of men. Whether it was John Cleland or Alfred Kinsey writing about it, Gustave Courbet painting it, or politicians passing legislation about it, the female body has often been dictated, controlled and censored by everyone but women. This has finally begun to change, with echoing global conversations about everything from masturbation to #MeToo. Through artwork and essays, A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO PLEASURE presents an unapologetic look at female pleasure — direct from the bold and brave women who contribute to these groundbreaking dialogues through their work.
BlackBook worked with Dr. Marashi on this project because of his lifelong dedication to women through his practice. BlackBook also partnered with LELO due to their aligning ethos that sees female pleasure as a human right that should be celebrated. LELO has been a guiding and influential force in the sex toy industry for over a decade, with designs that blend pleasure with a performance like no other brand. The company aims to empower and liberate women by normalizing conversations around sex and pleasure, and by bringing those dialogues to the mainstream.
The book is set for release August 20, 2020 with global distribution through ACC Art Books, also available via, BLACKBOOKPRESENTS.com, LELO.com and AWOMANSRIGHTTOPLEASURE.com, launching August 1.
Through a unique partnership with Artsy.net, BlackBook and LELO will host an online exhibition and auction, with 10% of proceeds going to Girls Inc, an organization dedicated to raising a strong generation of women. BlackBook and LELO will also host online panel discussions and artist conversations featuring the contributors on AWOMANSRIGHTTOPLEASURE.com, which will serve as a home for exclusive content from the book, alongside stories from other leading voices about sexuality and feminist art, as well as a space with information about new releases and products from LELO.
A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO PLEASURE will also come to life as a podcast in which the artists, writers and other important female voices, will come together to discuss themes of pleasure, equality and empowerment, launching in 2020.
A WOMAN’S RIGHT TO PLEASURE contributors:
Nina Chanel Abney, Marina Abramović, Ghada Amer, Judith Bernstein, Renate Bertlmann, Cass Bird, Louise Bourgeois, Cecily Brown, Arvida Byström, Amanda Charchian, Judy Chicago, Maisie Cousins, Renee Cox, Vaginal Davis, Tamara De Lempicka, Annique Dephine, Suzy Kellems Dominik, Marlene Dumas, Tracey Emin, Leonor Fini, Monica Kim Garza, Nan Goldin, Martine Gutierrez, Andrea Hasler, Jenny Holzer, Elizabeth Ilsley, Natalie Krim, Friedl Kubelka, Dani Lessnau, Natalia LL, Sarah Lucas, Sally Mann, Lena Marquise, Andrea Mary Marshall, Marilyn Minter, Sophia Narrett, Alice Neel, Reka Nyari, Georgia O’Keeffe, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Meret Oppenheim, Signe Pierce, Alexandra Rubinstein, Faith Ringgold, Jenny Saville, Carolee Schneemann, Tschabalala Self, Joan Semmel, Cindy Sherman, Sonia Sieff, Penny Slinger, Mairi-Luise Tabbakh, Mickalene Thomas, Betty Tompkins, Ellen Von Unwerth, Sophia Wallace, Carrie Mae Weems, Harley Weir and Luo Yang, with an exclusive colouring book by RIP Bambi.
Forewords by Erica Jong and Roxane Gay. Excerpts by Judy Chicago and Kathy Acker. Original submissions by Vaginal Davis, Alice Little, Erika Lust, Naana Otoo-Oyortey, Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova, Natasha Stagg and Stoya. Quotes by Simone de Beauvoir, Eve Ensler, Betty Friedan, Audre Lorde, Anaïs Nin and Naomi Wolf.
