Since acquiring her first drawing in 1969 at the age of 17, Beth Rudin DeWoody has amassed one of the largest collections of contemporary art in the world. Her passion for art is deeply personal and inclusive—driven not by trends or the market, but by a genuine connection to the bold and authentic.
Guided by intuition, DeWoody embraces the subversive and seeks art that challenges convention while highlighting underrepresented voices. In celebrating the unconventional, she continually redefines what it means to be a true patron of contemporary art. Given her fearless and adventurous approach to collecting, it is only natural that the erotic holds a significant place in her collection.
Hard Art: Unruly Selections from the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection brings together works in various media, from the 1930s to the present, that confront, provoke, and subvert—often through the lens of the body or desire, but never limited to it. Sexuality serves as a conduit for broader themes, including anti-war activism, redefinitions of the historical odalisque, and explorations of power, intimacy, and the human–posthuman condition.
The exhibition is a collaboration between the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection and the Museum of Sex, two institutions united in their dedication to supporting the artist’s voice and championing uncensored expression, however explicit. The exhibition includes artists and content that has been historically censored. While some artists have entered the canon, much of the content remains unacceptable in the mainstream. In this space, all is celebrated as a vital contribution to the cultural conversation.