ORGASM to Poster Erotic Art

Spurred by a recent wave of attacks on the art world throughout the U.S., a group of Harvard students said yesterday that they are planning to paper the campus with controversial works of student art in the next few weeks.

Members of the Organization for the Advancement of Sexual Minorities (ORGASM) hope to "to cover the campus with sex-positive imagery," in coming weeks, said group President Thomas B. Watson '91. The posters will primarily be original compositions by Harvard students, said grouip member Leon Lai '91.

In addition, Watson said the two-year old group is planning a large membership drive to boost its prominence on the Harvard scene.

"We want to make sure that art is safe for all people and ideas," Watson said.

Watson, one of ORGASM's original founders, said the group defines sexual minorities as "everyone who is different from the standard white, male, heterosexual dominant class."

Although the group is not affiliated with the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Student Association, Watson said the two have worked together in the past on art-related issues.

He said the two groups had been highly disturbed by recent efforts to cut grants for controversial projects funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, particularly works of art that deal with homoerotic themes.

Watson said that ORGASM was originally founded two years ago with the purpose of bringing to the forefront the work of experimental and avant garde artists in film, some of which were banned.

Originally, the group planned events on an intermittent basis, but group members said yesterday that the current political climate convinced them that they needed to step up their efforts.

"Socially unacceptable art for some is important for others," said group member C-Zun N. Ray '94

ORGASM's second meeting for the year will be held this week at Dunster House and will include discussion on the format and plans for the year, Watson said. The group's main focus will be the advancement of performance art as well as the poster campaign, he said.

In addition, there will be viewings of banned art videos and table discussions at the weekly meetings, he said.

The group will also show films in conjuction with the Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Studies Conference to take place October 26 through October 28, Watson said.