An open door in a Bloomsbury backstreet leads you down a dark narrow stone-paved passage into a basement to visit The Museum of Sex Objects.
The Museum of Sex Objects’ story is one of mystery, as throughout the centuries, small groups of artisans kept alive stories of sexual subversion alive, and often illiterate, marked their works with a red X. The Museum is actually more of an art exhibition, and one that straddles the boundary between art, fiction, and history, tracing our sexual past via the many clues locked away in institutions or even hidden under beds.
A whole wall is covered with embroideries that were created by people with stories to tell. A large book tells their stories, and although you do need to keep flipping to the front to check which work of art belongs to which story, it’s really worthwhile reading the stories as they bring the art to life – in often quite unexpected ways.
The story of the Ladies National Association for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts is saddening. There’s the story of the Black Harriot, a former slave girl brought to the UK and who set up a high-class brothel in Covent Garden, only to lose everything when she fell in love. There’s the story of the 1700s pimp arranging meetings between men under the alias of Princess Seraphina, and the psychiatrist who fled Nazi Germany, only to be persecuted in 1950s America.
And you won’t forget the first story in a hurry of when Devine offered a blow-job to a young man at a party, and the awkward aftermath.
The rest of the display is a mix of real and alleged sexual objects and their sometimes real or made-up stories, all apparently collected by the mysterious Keeper.
One is almost certainly not true, mainly as the story, of the Dutch Wife, is alleged to be true, but I can’t imagine Aquascatum being involved in making the carrying case. There are letters, photos, chinaware, and some objects that look innocent enough, but where the lewdness is in the descriptions.
It’s a curious exhibition, a museum that’s not really a museum, but set in the atmospheric basement of the Horse Hospital, it’s quite fun to wander around — and do read the book of stories. They’re worth the visit alone.
The exhibition, The Museum of Sex Objects is at the Horse Hospital until 29th September. Entry is free. It’s open Wed-Sun 12pm-6pm to just go in for a look, or you can book a curator’s tour from here.
Went early to this. Small and interesting. Especially liked the music box. The host was very welcoming, offering thoughtful information and stories about the objects when approached. Great space too.