Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"Art of Vallejo," by Allison Joseph, is an exploration of the vivid, exaggerated imagery of Boris Vallejo?s fantasy artwork, while simultaneously offering a critique of its cultural implications and the gendered dynamics it perpetuates. Through evocative language and a touch of humor, Joseph navigates the tension between admiration for the artistry and a feminist critique of its subject matter.

The poem opens with an epigraph that situates Vallejo’s work within the realm of myth and fantasy, emphasizing the unreal nature of his subjects and settings. This sets the tone for the poem’s exploration of how these hyperbolic images impact perceptions of femininity and power. Joseph immediately delves into the fantasy bodies Vallejo creates, describing them as "long-legged space vixens" with physical attributes so exaggerated they become otherworldly. The choice of imagery—women who "haunt the eye" and "supplant what real women look like"—suggests the distortive influence of these depictions on cultural ideals of beauty and strength.

Vallejo’s women are described as both hypersexualized and hyper-empowered, a duality that Joseph explores with both admiration and skepticism. These characters fight "rough-tusked elephants," tame "giant lions," and perch on "prehistoric lizards," their strength and audacity seemingly boundless. However, their attire—"chain-link gold bikinis" and "high-heeled black leather boots"—reminds the reader of their origin as fantasies constructed through a male lens. The juxtaposition of their formidable actions and impractical clothing underscores the performative nature of their power, catering to a specific type of gaze.

Joseph highlights the cultural consumption of these images, noting their prevalence on "comic books and paperbacks," hidden "under boys’ beds." The titles—Primeval Princess, Nubian Warrior, The Amazon’s Pet—evoke a sense of pulp fiction, steeped in tropes of exoticism and domination. The poet’s tone here is tinged with irony, acknowledging the absurdity of these fantasies while recognizing their cultural resonance.

The poem shifts into a feminist critique, describing how "any good feminist would call these images porn." Yet Joseph complicates this perspective by acknowledging the paradoxical power these women wield. Vallejo’s heroines are not merely objects of desire; they are also warriors, armed with "chains, whips, sharp daggers," actively confronting and conquering beasts and aliens. They are suspended between worlds, navigating both literal and metaphorical galaxies, embodying a form of agency even within the constraints of their hypersexualized representation.

Joseph’s closing lines bring the poem to a nuanced conclusion. The "best" of Vallejo’s women are depicted as so bold and potent they might intimidate or overpower any would-be voyeur. Their "potent, chiseled" forms and "tight" physicality transform them from mere objects of fantasy into champions of their own realms. Yet, even as they exude power, they remain tethered to the expectations of their genre and medium, their strength designed to tantalize as much as to inspire.

"Art of Vallejo" is both a celebration of and a critique of the artist’s work. Joseph acknowledges the visceral appeal and artistry of Vallejo’s creations while probing their cultural and gendered implications. The poem invites readers to consider the ways in which fantasy art shapes and reflects societal ideals, blending admiration for the craft with a critical awareness of its complexities.

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