For the sake of art or just plain selfishness?

Silence - that was the reaction I got after announcing to my lunch buddies that I’m going to start a graphic novel about a stripper or a pole dancer. No reaction. The topic, which I tried to cut off to sneak in my plans, resumed. Nada.

That was also what I got from an artist friend, whom I expected to side me on this. What sounded like a gulp from over the phone, he tried to be as much rational to my utter excitement. And he called himself artist at that. Nada.

Antipathy – that was what I got when I mentioned it to my hubby while having Japanese dinner with an old friend later that day. He said the prostitution thing had been there since the world began that it was no longer an issue. If I were to make a project, it should be something that would impact the society, the country. Our old friend, while trying to digest too much wasabi and the discussion me and my husband are having, mentioned a few socio/political issues that might be better themes to my graphic novel than the stripper thing. I wanted to scream that I was doing this for the sake of art!!!

But I was cool with what they thought. I expected such reaction. I guess it’s way better that earlier on, even before it gets published, I will get to experience such degradations. After all, we live in a “religious” and “conservative” country, where most people either avoid the taboo and live a “clean” life or live in the taboo and get crucified. Okay, so I exaggerated on that crucified part.

But, really, give me one reason why I shouldn’t do it? I mean, I love to sketch/draw women – their bodies are the greatest sculpture ever made. A woman’s body is so complex and beautiful at the same time.

I once told myself that I would someday write about something. But to make it right the first time, the story should be something I know of very well. There lies my little problem – I know nothing about stripping. I know no woman who does such a thing. And this means I had to do mountains of research to know the latest issues regarding such activities. And I think this is very exciting. This is new to me, and since I’m a sucker for trying out new things, I think no one can stop me. 