Metal Chastity Couture
Sherman's "Hardcore Chastity Couture" might also be called "Contemplative Couture" or "Philosophical Fashions."
Ultimately his irresistibly seductive art is an enticement to think more deeply and heavily about how we treat on another
-Suzanne Ramljak, art historian, writer, curator at the American Federation of Arts
Conceptual Sculptural Machines
World-renowned artist and metalsmith Ira Sherman's works are conceptual sculptural machines molded to the human form that regulate and prevent aggressive, sexual, and antisocial behaviors. The technical and visual artistry of Sherman's sexually graphic couture becomes its own reward, all the while evoking a paradox of feelings melding elegant, sexy flirtatiousness and vicious punishing empowerment.....Delicate tendrils of glimmering steel forged into mechanized armored lingerie, flexible stainless cable g-strings, steel mesh codpieces, vaginal armor, flame-throwing penises, and chain-laced corsets with flirty chain link garter belts.
Natural Desires & Christian Beliefs
Chastity has been an integral part of human sexuality. Since ancient times the tension between natural desires and the demands of religious beliefs that focus on virgin values and both have shaped human attitudes toward sexual expression and human experience. Chastity, whether imposed as a demonstration of power and control or as a voluntary discipline, immediately conjures a moral paradox.
"Grab 'em by the pussy....You can do anything."...Donald Trump
Rape culture normalizes misogyny and entitlement to women's bodies, allowing uninvited forced kisses, gropes, and genital grabs. Inspired by these recent highly publicized presidential revelations, sculptor and fashion designer Ira Sherman have created haute couture Fashion concepts that seriously deter uninvited sexual aggression. Sherman's fashions meld traditional industrial materials into exquisite wearable sculptures that confront the complex issues related to sexual objectification, rape, and freedom of expression in our hypersexuality culture. Sherman explores the boundaries of these phenomena melding traditional industrial materials into elegant, armored fashions with his new collections of steel Chastity Couture. Featured in runway events in Chicago, Denver, and San Francisco, Sherman's wearable sculptures objectify the wearer while also empowering and protecting them from unwanted sexual advances. The result is spectacular and confounding and illuminates the duality of our culture's hypersexuality media and western puritanical values.
