Sasha Grey's “NEÜ SEX”

I’ve noticed a recurring theme in the criticisms that have awaited the publication of porn star/legit actress Sasha Grey’s first book of photography, Neü Sex: this book would never have been published if she wasn’t a hardcore porn performer; she’s whoring her body to gain publicity; there are so many other talented young photographers who deserve to be published before her; blah, blah, blah. Yes, Neü Sex may be an intermittently alluring, admittedly minor debut book of photography from a young artist struggling to find her specific voice, but it’s more valuable in its choice of subject matter (her) than as a portrait of a young visual artist (again, her). And if this assessment still seems somewhat unfair to those who resent that a 23-year-old performer-turned-photographer has secured a major publishing deal when so many of her peers are struggling to gain recognition for their craft, then you’re missing the point. Sasha Grey’s most noteworthy cultural accomplishment isn’t that of a porn star, a model, a musician, an actress, a writer, or a photographer — her most impressive body of work is, quite simply, the creation of Sasha Grey...

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Travis Crawford @'FilmMaker'