Beirut "Erotika" show heats up Lebanon

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Nayla Karam and Maria Sarkis "Erotika"

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uploaded by Victoria Revay

Artists Nayla Karam and Maria Sarkis's art exhibition in Lebanon is not tame.

Their expo called Erotika displays Andy Warhol type of colourful pop-art, where sensual images of women's figures, themes of homosexuality and fetishism are depicted. The two say they're not trying to shock the conservative Arab world with their art show, but they're hoping their exhibit will help break sex taboos. The gallery that is housing the exhibit is called "Surface" and is located in the Christian suburb of Northern Lebanon. Visitors to the gallery have mixed reactions to the exhibit. Some appreciate the artistic aesthtetics, while others don't. The latter say the artists would have been killed if they lived in an Islamic neighbourhood.