Eroticism, power and cultural taboo revealed through artworks

Erotic, provocative and unapologetically unconventional, “HARD ART: Unruly Selections from the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection,” arrives at Museum of Sex New York on November 12th, 2026. Following its debut at Museum of Sex Miami in October 2025, the exhibition offers New York audiences an unflinching exploration of eroticism, power and cultural taboo through works drawn from one of the world’s most closely watched private collections.

Curated by Laura Dvorkin and Maynard Monrow, Co-Curators of The Bunker Artspace: Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody, “HARD ART” champions artistic freedom and uncensored expression, bringing together works that challenge conventions and explore the complex intersections of desire, identity and culture.

Collector, philanthropist and curator Beth Rudin DeWoody purchased her first drawing in 1969, at age 17. More than five decades later, her collection encompasses thousands of works spanning generations, mediums and movements, distinguished by a keen interest in the witty, the alluring and the subversive. A longtime supporter of emerging and underrepresented artists, DeWoody has embraced work that confronts social conventions, including art that explores sexuality and the human body. Her approach to collecting extends beyond traditional gallery spaces, with works from her collection incorporated into her homes and presented through public exhibitions.

Spanning the 1930s to the present day, “HARD ART” moves across sculpture, painting, collage, photography and interactive installations. The exhibition brings together works that approach sexuality from provocative, playful and confrontational perspectives, with many artists challenging the boundaries of what could be shown, discussed or accepted within their cultural moment. Together, the works examine desire as a force shaped by identity, power, humor and social expectations.

“A lot of works in the exhibition do have a political context, exploring the erotic alongside larger societal themes such as censorship, freedom of sexuality, and social isolation, and the breadth of Beth’s collecting allows you to see the cultural arc,” Dvorkin said. “It’s especially exciting and meaningful to present ‘HARD ART’ in our home city of New York, with its rich history of artists pushing boundaries and challenging convention.”

Drawing on decades of experience in the art world, Dvorkin and Monrow have curated exhibitions that explore the humor, politics and social commentary embedded throughout DeWoody’s collection. For HARD ART, they have brought together works that provoke, seduce and unsettle, creating a dialogue between artists and eras while examining how attitudes toward sexuality and censorship have evolved over time.

“When others shy away, Beth zeroes in–she’s just so supportive of challenging work, some of it beyond adventurous,” Monrow said.

Among the artists featured in “HARD ART” are Jimmy DeSana, Bunny Yeager, John Kayser and Karen Finley, whose practices have each pushed against conventional representations of the body, sexuality and desire. Their work joins a broader selection of artists whose approaches range from the playful and surreal to the provocative and transgressive.

Since opening in 2002, the Museum of Sex New York has provided a platform for exhibitions that challenge assumptions while examining the role of sexuality in art, history and everyday life. “Hard Art” carries that mission forward, bringing together artists who explore the many dimensions of desire and inviting audiences to consider how sexuality has been represented, regulated and reimagined across generations

Museum of Sex New York is located in the Nomad neighborhood at 233 Fifth Avenue. For more information and tickets, please visit https://www.museumofsex.com/.