ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Lynda Benglis's 1974 Artforum Advertisement

publication · 2026-04-22

Lynda Benglis placed a controversial advertisement in Artforum magazine in 1974. The image featured the artist posing nude with a large dildo. This provocative act challenged the male-dominated art world and sparked intense debate about feminism, sexuality, and artistic expression. The advertisement was published in the November 1974 issue of Artforum. Several Artforum editors resigned in protest following its publication. Benglis's work has been recognized as a landmark in feminist art history. The advertisement remains a powerful symbol of artistic rebellion. artcritical published a post about this historical event on June 27, 2014.

Key facts

  • Lynda Benglis created a controversial advertisement
  • The advertisement appeared in Artforum magazine
  • It was published in November 1974
  • Benglis posed nude with a dildo in the image
  • The work challenged the male-dominated art world
  • Several Artforum editors resigned in protest
  • The advertisement sparked debate about feminism and sexuality
  • artcritical published about this on June 27, 2014

Entities

Artists

  • Lynda Benglis

Institutions

  • Artforum
  • artcritical

Sources