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afternoon sonnet (be gentle, be rough)
2021
A large-scale mixed-media work on paper depicting an intimate, cropped entanglement of hairy male legs and hands tugging at white Calvin Klein underwear against a vivid pink background. A three-dimensional embroidered magenta heart appliqué stitched in light blue yarn bears the text 'BE GENTLE + BE ROUGH,' functioning as both an emotional anchor and tactile centerpiece. The underwear waistband reads 'CALVIN KLEIN CK ONE,' referencing a vintage 90s spread updated by the artist with queer romance. The work showcases Guth's signature dense mark-making for body hair alongside mixed-media embellishment, making it a standout example of their figurative practice.
- Medium
- Acrylic, graphite, color pencil, embroidery floss, yarn, and acetate on 140lb Arches cold press paper
- Dimensions
Notes
Creation timeline documented by artist: Jan 23 2021 - start of piece; Feb 4 2021 - lay your head on my pillow; June 30 2021 - embroidery vid; July 15 2021 - finished. Model reference from a vintage 90s spread, updated with CK ONE branding. Instagram post received 2,380 likes and 105 comments. Liked by jsobarr and others. Post also shared/reposted 10 times.
Spotted works by Sedgwick Guth
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