A recurrent theme in the illustrations of Art Frahm is genteel ladies dealing with the public embarassment of wardrobe malfunctions; specifically their panties dropping down to their ankles and being viewed by an appreciating, leering male. The women never is seen as initiating or enjoying a tease in the undie display; she's always upset by this revelation. And, for some fetishistic reason, she's always carrying celery.
I'm glad that the elastic used in panties is stronger nowadays! Or maybe these panty malfunctions are the result of the larger and more massive granny panties that women wore back then!
However, the scene may have a more sinister context: the elevator boy might have delibrately adjusted the speed and abruptness of descent so that the gentle lady would be humiliated by the loss of her panties and exposure of her bottom! There is an example of true sexist behavior!
I'm glad we've gone into automatic elevators. That's a real cultural, social, and moral improvement, but it takes away one possible job for simple-minded people who would be otherwise unemployable. Alternatively, this could be viewed as a commentary on social class tensions, the elevator boy dashing the pretentions of the elegant, middle-class woman!
But maybe some underemployed psychoanalytically-trained individual can explain the celery that seems to be a recurrent motif in Frahm's art!
I'm glad that the elastic used in panties is stronger nowadays! Or maybe these panty malfunctions are the result of the larger and more massive granny panties that women wore back then!
However, the scene may have a more sinister context: the elevator boy might have delibrately adjusted the speed and abruptness of descent so that the gentle lady would be humiliated by the loss of her panties and exposure of her bottom! There is an example of true sexist behavior!
I'm glad we've gone into automatic elevators. That's a real cultural, social, and moral improvement, but it takes away one possible job for simple-minded people who would be otherwise unemployable. Alternatively, this could be viewed as a commentary on social class tensions, the elevator boy dashing the pretentions of the elegant, middle-class woman!
But maybe some underemployed psychoanalytically-trained individual can explain the celery that seems to be a recurrent motif in Frahm's art!
I guess the moral is to not wear panties when you wear a skirt!
ReplyDeletehow bizarre! :)
ReplyDeletePenetrating analysis, E. P.
ReplyDeleteAloha
Definitely 1950s calendar art. Charming is a sexist way.
ReplyDeleteI recognised the Art Frahm style but didn't know the name. A google search on images has tons of his work. Panchira is an interesting google search also.
ReplyDeleteI think Brandi has the best idea...
ReplyDeleteDefinitely an odd genre of art. He manages to capture his heroines in their most vulnerable expressions.
ReplyDeleteThere's a pin-up quality to his illustrations. Great art, it's not.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. Interesting and different.
ReplyDeleteI notice that nobody has yet approached the question of why the celery appears in the illustrations. Can it be because Mr Frahm has a thing for roughage sex?
ReplyDeleteArt Frahm's illustrations are delightfully cheesy!
ReplyDeleteThe celery may be simply a signature item, or he liked painting celery.