Elisa Abela's 'For Adults Only' Artist Book Explores Sexuality Through Childlike Drawings

Sicilian artist Elisa Abela (b. 1980) has published 'For Adults Only', an artist book released in 250 copies by Rome-based publisher stsenzatitolo.it. The work consists of 23 loose drawings collected in a simple spiral-bound sketchbook with cardboard cover, using pencil and pastel in a limited palette of primary colors, browns, and black. The drawings adopt a deliberately naive style reminiscent of elementary school art, with simplified spatial representation and no perspective. Despite the childlike aesthetic, the imagery is explicitly sexual, featuring phalluses, female genitalia, and animals such as dogs, cats, and a gorilla as voyeurs. The book is structured around three fundamental questions: How are children born? How are drawings born? How do humans and other animals mate? Curated by Matteo di Castro, the volume presents a blend of innocent thoughts and obscene visions that elicit an amused smile from viewers. Abela has a long history with s.t. foto libreria galleria in Rome, where she held her first solo show in 2010 and where she presented her previous artist book anthology 'Antologia: libri usati 2008-2018' in 2019. Beyond visual art, Abela is also a musician who plays electric guitar, alto saxophone, and drums, and has released several albums and projects, including her latest solo effort 'LaBruta One Woman Band'. The book is priced at €20 and available through stsenzatitolo.com.