Local artist Joseph Babcock has been crafty for several decades, but only in the last two weeks has he started using condoms as a medium for his artwork.
Last Thursday, the Sutherland Room in the JDUC became a space for anything but a typical art class, with about 25 students joining Babcock to test the true versatility of the prophylactic. The event was one of several this month held as part of Queerientation.
Babcock and friend Marney McDiarmid ran a class in which participants made art entirely out of condoms.
“Using condoms for artwork takes a bit of the fear away by using them and seeing how far they stretch,” Babcock said, carefully stretching a condom across a wooden frame to create a latex weave.
When he completed the weave across the frame, he placed a tiny metal crucifix in the center and named the piece “Religion.” Babcock, who has had several installations exhibited at the Modern Fuel Gallery in downtown Kingston, said he primarily explores such themes as sex and religion.
Both McDiarmid and Babcock said they heard of the idea when they attended the 15th Global AIDS conference in Bangkok in 2004. At the event, they witnessed Brazilian artist Adriana Bertini exhibit dresses made entirely out of condoms and condom wrappers. More recently, the AIDS Committee of Toronto invited local artists to create art using condoms, they said.
Babcock, who attended St. Lawrence College for fashion design and is a former manager of the Modern Fuel Gallery, said he feels using condoms to create art allows people to embrace their sexuality while discussing such issues as safe sex, STDs and HIV/AIDS.
“Sex is a great part of people’s lives, and society is healthier when we accept a diverse range of sexualities,” Babcock said. “[But] at the same time, people still need information.”
McDiarmid, who works for HIV/AIDS Regional Services (HARS) and holds similar events around the Kingston area, said she hopes such classes will raise awareness about HARS and also about the importance of condom use.
“It is difficult to talk about the risks [of unprotected sex] without seeming preachy,” she said.
She added it would be great if similar classes were held in high schools at an age when people are just starting to explore their sexuality.
“This would be a subtle way of having a prevention workshop without directly using words that make people feel uncomfortable,” she said.
More importantly, McDiarmid said she feels such workshops would help get rid of the fear of the condom.
During the two-hour class, participants created an impressive array of artwork using condoms and condom wrappers including what looked to be a small paper chandelier using condoms instead of glass.
One artist created a crown of thorns made entirely of condom wrappers.
The HARS office, located at 844A Princess Street, will temporarily display the art created at Thursday’s workshop. It will be displayed in the office’s two large windows, where Babcock said he hopes it will help raise awareness about the importance of condom use.
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