Cosey Fanni Tutti: Art, Porn & Music Journey
- Cosey Fanni Tutti, a founding member of Throbbing Gristle and a performance artist, gained notoriety after her 1976 art exhibition, "Prostitution." The show, featuring pornographic images and used...
- Now, decades later, Tutti, 73, living near King's Lynn, Norfolk, believes the exhibition is finally being understood.
- Tutti's work involved modeling for pornographic magazines, a decision she describes as an "infiltration" of the pornography industry.
Dive into the radical world of Cosey Fanni Tutti, a pioneer who fearlessly blurred the lines between art, pornography, and music. This in-depth exploration unveils Tutti’s groundbreaking 1976 “Prostitution” exhibition, a performance art piece that ignited controversy and challenged societal norms. Discover how Tutti, a founding member of Throbbing Gristle, “infiltrated” the 1970s pornography industry, aiming to subvert the male gaze and empower women through her work. Her actions triggered debates,with MPs labeling her a ”wrecker of civilisation,” yet she persisted. News Directory 3 brings you this vital story. Find out what’s next for her art and music.
Cosey Fanni Tutti on Art, Pornography and Subversion
Updated June 8, 2025
Cosey Fanni Tutti, a founding member of Throbbing Gristle and a performance artist, gained notoriety after her 1976 art exhibition, “Prostitution.” The show, featuring pornographic images and used medical items, sparked outrage and a debate in the House of Commons. A Conservative MP even labeled her a “wrecker of civilisation.”
Now, decades later, Tutti, 73, living near King’s Lynn, Norfolk, believes the exhibition is finally being understood. “It has taken 50 years for [the exhibition] to be revisited and understood for what it was really trying to say,” she said.
Tutti’s work involved modeling for pornographic magazines, a decision she describes as an “infiltration” of the pornography industry. Her goal was to challenge the male gaze and empower women by bringing a different viewpoint to the consumption of pornography.
She aimed to “bring [porn] into a different kind of viewpoint and interpretation” and encourage women to discuss and subvert the industry. Tutti also hinted at the involvement of well-known figures in the 1970s pornography industry, though she declined to name them.
Exhibits from “Prostitution” are currently on display at the Maxwell Graham Gallery in New York City until June 28, coinciding with the release of Tutti’s new album, 2T2.However, Tutti said she has no plans to visit the exhibition due to the current situation in America.
What’s next
Cosey Fanni Tutti’s album,2T2,is out now,and her controversial “Prostitution” exhibition continues to provoke discussion at the Maxwell Graham Gallery in New York City until June 28.