Cosey used to be a stripper for a long period of time and in the fields of pornographic films and magazines, stemming from a desire to incorporate her own image into collages she produced in this period.
Cosey investigated self-image within the context of sex magazines and sex films, glamour modelling and striptease acts. Her experiences within these industries during the period 1973 - 1984 were brought into her art work as she explored the many aspects of sex as it is perceived and transacted as commercial product. She placed conventional beauty in a situation where it was subjected to simulated mutilation before a live audience. This provided a visual contrast highlighting and questioning the notion of what is presentable as 'beauty'.
She utilised the pornography industry as an apparatus to convey multiple identities. Modelling in the sex industry was one aspect of a wider art project.
Cosey was a part of an exhibiton called "PROSTITUTION"
COUM Transmissions was a performance art group interested in pushing boundaries, influenced by Dada and the Merry Pranksters.
CT was a whimsical, eccentric as well as confrontational band and performance art group – a collective the constants of which were Cosey Fanni Tutti and Genisis P-Orridge.
The 'PROSTITUTION' exhibition at the ICA was a retrospective show of the work of Coum including the 'girlie' magazines Cosey had appeared in as well as 'objects used in Coum performances.
The show as a whole was a representation of how Coum, Genesis and Cosey had been perceived by various forms of the media, from the tabloids to fine art analysis and interpretation of Coum's work. Ironic when the press response proved so great that it became part of the exhibition day by day, echoing the sentiments on all levels, of the work already on show. Daily press cuttings about press cuttings. The irony and humour of this was never even realised by the press in their frenzy for gossip to fill their front pages. Questions were asked in the Houses of Parliament, Arts Council grants came under scrutiny because Coum had been funded for shows abroad, to represent Britain in major exhibitions. Indeed Coum were to perform in the U.S.A. and Canada immediately after the ICA exhibition, but were refused entry to Canada on the grounds that they were considered 'undesirable'. All this press coverage instigated by Coum, turned to the exploits of Throbbing Gristle. A wonderful promotional ploy could never have been planned to work so well.
The opening night of the 'PROSTITUTION' show was to be least like an 'art' opening as possible. The band L.S.D. played live they later became known as Generation X. Cherry, a stripper was booked to perform after TG had appeared. which she duly did, writhing in the fake blood left on the floor after TG's show. Throbbing Gristle performed their first official gig to a mixed audience of art critics, punks, politicians, musicians and artists. That evening like many TG gigs was marred by violence. All the press attention acquired unwittingly by TG was a bonus for the launch for their project. During this explosive time, Punk arrived on the scene via the marketing skills of two clothes shops down the Kings Road, owned by associates of members of TG. BOY boutique was fronted by 'Generation X' and SEDITIONARIES fronted by 'The Sex Pistols'. Punk and Industrial music initially ran parallel to one another, often becoming confused until definitions became clearer.
Genital panic, 1969
