Amas Luna Storm

Treasure The Erotic Series

Art Direction and Photography
By Aaron McPolin

Taxidermy
By Jessica Walker

Modeling
By Alex Gerrard

This work is deeply inspired by Japanese history, myth, and the complex landscape of erotic imagery that has shaped cultural perceptions over centuries. Central to my practice is the exploration of how stories and symbolism from various cultures surround powerful women and mythic entities, have influenced notions of desire, strength, and transformation.

A profound influence is the legend of Princess Tamatori, also known as Ama, a figure rooted in both history and myth. Her story, intertwined with the tale of Fujiwara no Kamatari and the stolen pearl guarded by the Dragon King, embodies themes of sacrifice, resilience, and longing. Tamatori’s act of diving into treacherous waters to recover her husband’s stolen treasure, culminating in her selfless death, has long symbolized courage and dedication in Japanese culture. Her image resonates with notions of devotion and the divine feminine, asserting that true strength lies in vulnerability and sacrifice.

This mythic narrative, along with the erotic art of Katsushika Hokusai’s The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife from 1814, informs my work's visual language. Hokusai’s piece, a striking example of shunga erotica within the ukiyo-e tradition, depicts an intimate, mutual encounter between a woman and two octopuses, elements that have come to symbolize tentacle erotica. Originally intended as an exploration of longing and desire, this imagery challenges our perceptions of sexuality, power, and the body. Despite the creature’s forceful depiction in modern interpretations, Hokusai’s image reflects mutual pleasure, suggesting a different understanding of intimacy and connection.

My piece, Amas Luna Storm, seeks to symbolize the oceanic beast as a metaphor for primal longing and transformative desire, the ocean, relentless and mysterious, embodying both danger and deep longing. The work echoes Princess Tamatori’s voyage into the abyss, her sacrifice and resilience echoing in the flowing, oceanic imagery that cascades over the figure. The title references the Earth's greatest orgasm, the lunar spawning of coral reefs, drawing parallels between natural fertility, cyclic renewal, and the erotic energy that drives creation and destruction.

Through this fusion of myth, history, and erotic symbolism, I aim to explore the perception of the body as a powerful landscape, one that is both vulnerable and resilient. The imagery in my work invites viewers to reconsider notions of desire, shame, and strength, recognizing the body’s natural beauty and capacity for transformation. In doing so, I pay homage to the stories of powerful women in Japanese culture, not as passive figures, but as symbols of sacrifice, resilience, and transcendence, whose narratives continue to inspire a dialogue on the complexities of human intimacy and the enduring power of myth.