This is interesting: Details has an article about a man who repairs ‘Real Dolls,’ those eerily lifelike sex dolls that look as though they weigh a ton and cost between $6,500 and $50,000 a piece. For Ryan Gosling fans, the Real Doll played a key role in Lars and the Real Girl, a film that explores themes of trust, attachment, and displaced intimacy (but no actual doll sex). I know I’ve wondered what happens to these dolls when they get manhandled day after day, because I’m perversely curious that way. That said, when I read the article and the kind of damage that’s been done, I was pretty disturbed. The article is here.
Something else I’ve come across is the packaging and selling of erotic experiences. Killing Kittens, the London-based sex party/community, is selling adventures, like a “film experience” (where you create or take part in a porn video), and a “kidnap experience” (where, well, you’re kidnapped). It’s a fascinating idea, and it’s interesting how they manoeuver around the sex laws. Roleplay is a hugely interesting form of sex work, but it, like domination, treads very closely to the line that separates play from prostitution. Maybe in the UK the laws are more clearly defined. If so, I should contemplate a move.
Update: On the subject of Real Dolls, a reader just directed my attention to the work of artist Anoush Abrar and his Realdolls series.
Update 2: Another reader pointed me in the direction of Elena Dorfman, who shot a series called Still Lovers. These images are particularly intimate.
Update 3: Love this: in the comments, drichmond includes a link to an article about Oskar Kokoschka’s lifesize replica of his ex, Alma Mahler, which he treated as a substitute for the real woman. Kokoschka writes: “I had hired a horse and carriage to take her out on sunny days, and rented a box for her at the Opera in order to show her off.” Man-Made Woman, by Jon Stratton.
The article mentions Bellmer’s dolls, which have always fascinated and disturbed me, much in the way the Details article did with its images of distorted and dismembered limbs. Which reminds me of a video Susannah called my attention to called ‘Headache‘ by Aneta Grzeszykowska, in which disembodied limbs probe a woman’s torso.
I love receiving suggestions from readers. I really appreciate them. (And as a sidenote, I’m not happy with the photo formatting with this particular template, particularly since it makes labeling very difficult, so I’m going to do some tweaking over the next few days.)
From what I remember when I studied it the law in Britain is that prostitution itself is totally legal, though there are a number of caveats, like in a lot of ‘western’ countries as in you can’t solicit yourself for money; but the actual transaction of money for sex is okay.
I suppose if they aren’t explicitly advertising any sex then it is fine.
Oskar Kokoschka supposedly had a life sized anatomically correct doll made of Alma Mahler after their split. A doll that he would bring with him to events.
Link to Man-Made Women
http://www.australianhumanitiesreview.org/archive/Issue-Sept-1996/stratton.html
Wow about Alma. I knew she was a muse and got around (“honk if you slept with Alma”) , but a doll?! Just, wow.
There’s a documentary about this whole subject- called “Guys and Dolls” …it’s on google video here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3710987618964917848
It shows the lives of a few men who have realdolls, goes to the factory, and I believe they visit the same doctor mentioned in the article.
The Real Dolls are intriguing. Sales of low quality blow-up dolls have been a staple of porn shops for decades. It should be remembered that a Real Doll is the closest some men will ever get to a real woman.
Not a comment about this article. Been poking through some of your articles in general, and just watched the Sawyer interview. I wanted to say that I admire your exploration, your journey, and your courage in choosing your own way and defining your own code.
I’ve been fascinated by those things ever since I saw one at the Sex Museum in the city.
They allowed it be touched through a kind of peephole.
As a result the doll was extremely dirty (literally) from everyone’s hands. It was dirty in a way that only plastic can be, in seams and everything. Scary.
@Bobolink-
You say “a Real Doll is the closest some men will ever get to a real woman.” as if it is an unavoidable fact.
I think the most intriguing thing about realdolls is the way these men relegate themselves to dolls based on perceived inadequacies they have built up over the course of their lives.
The reality, of course, is that no matter how weird/awkward you are(or even just think you are)… there is undoubtedly someone as or more socially inept out there for you.
And they’re probably on craigslist, right now, searching for you.
If you move to London, can we please, please move together with you?
It is legal* there, which means you don’t need to have nightmares about cops et al.
The only nightmare are the rents, but for someone coming from NYC that’s probably not so bad.
Lots of naughty bankers and accountants, MPs and decadent aristocrats.
*http://www.sw5.info/law.htm
You really need to check out Stacey Leigh’s site:
http://stacyleighisfluffy.blogspot.com/
She is a photographer who has a blog that is dedicated to shooting real dolls. She owns several of them and her pictures are amazing. Curious as to what you might think of her work.
Jase
I’ve had some what of an obsession/attraction to Real Dolls since I first saw them on Maury probably about 10 years ago.
Watching it evolve from a sex doll to almost a cultural icon has been so amazing.
*Thanks for the link to those sites! I think the photography speaks mountains!*
i love your blog. i’m going to add it to my favorites list.
I’m astonished that so many people say these dolls make good companions. I don’t get it. For instance, look at the one on the right above. Her man appears to be experiencing deep emotional pain of some sort, and yet she just sits there. What’s worse is that look on her face, so full of indifference or ambivalence. If you ask me she’s heartless.