daniel holtwiesche | PORTFOLIO

VULVENIS

Left panel:

The left image shows two horizontal parallel black lines, one of which appears to extend beyond the left side of the image. This black line in turn appears to be drawn in by a second, offset parallel line that is already moving towards the centre. This figuration can be interpreted as a static and an active element, which is the basic feature of any tension.

At the bottom left, three red dots indicate cyclical processes and repetitive actions. These dots therefore already point to the procedural nature of sexual interactions, which in their repetition and structure are directed towards the constant flow of desire and satisfaction. 

Right panel:

The same black and red aesthetic and figuration continues in the right panel. Again, two black lines dominate the space, here mirroring the left, with three more red dots now interacting directly with these lines. Once again a reference to the cyclical nature of sexual acts and climaxes, but now in a state of apparent disarray or in the process of regrouping - a reference to something new, different. This geometric arrangement reflects on the one hand the balance and tension between the sexes, but also: after this, it is no longer as it was before - it is new, different. 

Central panel:

The central panel is the visual and symbolic heart of the triptych. In the lower centre is an abstracted form of a vulva, made up of two black triangles that converge downwards. At the top centre of this shape is a red dot, ideally symbolising a clitoris. This focus on the female centre of pleasure emphasises the central role of female energy in the dynamics of this image. Below the vulva is a stylised phallic shape, crowned by a red semicircle. This suggests the possible union of male and female elements, with the phallic form in direct relation to the vulva, symbolising the sexual connection between the two sexes.

The vertical axis running through the centre of the image suggests the union and exchange between the sexes, while the geometric rigour of the forms suggests an almost ritual or archetypal representation of sexual interaction. This formal language emphasises the clarity and simplicity of the sexual dynamic without sacrificing its symbolic depth.

Both insignia - the vulva and the phallus - are at the centre of the picture, but below the central horizontal line. The actual centre of the picture is an empty space. This is spanned by the red dot at the top right and the short black bar that seems to protect it. This figuration of a black line and the red dot protruding from below seems to be an eye looking out over the landscape below, the side flanks and beyond.

CONCLUSION

Vulvenis' explores the fundamental forces of sexual attraction and satisfaction through the use of clear geometric shapes and few but powerful symbols. The title itself, a combination of 'vulva' and 'penis', suggests the fusion and dialogue between the two sexes, which in this work move towards each other, forming a deep connection through their interaction.

The red dots that appear in all three panels can be understood as symbols of recurring peaks of sexual energy, orgasm itself and recurring cycles, while the black lines and shapes represent the structures and frameworks that make these interactions possible. The central panel, with its combination of vulva and phallus, symbolises the fusion of male and female energy and represents the sexual act as a harmonious yet tense union from which one never emerges as one entered.

Overall, 'Vulvenis' invites the viewer to reflect on the nature of sexual relationships and the role of desire, tension, fulfilment and change. The clear, almost architectural composition suggests a kind of order in chaos, while the recurring points emphasise the cyclical and universal nature of desire and satisfaction.