When Madonna first released her coffee table book, Sex, in 1992, it caused a worldwide scandal. Now, in honor of its reissue, it’s being celebrated next week at Art Basel Miami Beach, one of the world’s premier art shows and an important event on the global art world calendar.
When Sex first came out, it was sealed in a Mylar bag so you couldn’t page through it in the bookstore. That’s because it was full of photos shot by Steven Meisel that showed Madonna and celebrities like Naomi Campbell, actress Isabella Rossellini and rappers Vanilla Ice and Big Daddy Kane fully nude and simulating various sex acts. Madonna also provided the racy text for the book, which she wrote as a character called Mistress Dita.
Despite the controversy surrounding the book, it sold more than 150,000 copies on its first day in the U.S., and went on to sell more than 1.5 million copies worldwide. It’s been out of print for years, but now, Yves Saint Laurent’s lifestyle brand, Rive Droite, is teaming with publishers Callaway New York to issue 800 copies. A limited number of those will be signed by Madonna and auctioned off, with proceeds going to her charity Raising Malawi.
In addition, during Art Basel Miami, the brand is putting up a beachfront gallery featuring large-format images from the book — images it describes as “once shocking, now timeless.” You’ll have to be over 18 to visit it, but admission is free; t-shirts and tote bags will also be available if you can’t afford the book.
Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Related Posts
In Brazil, Madonna sets record for largest stand-alone concert in history
May 5, 2024
PABLO PORCIUNCULA/AFP via Getty ImagesMadonna capped her Celebration Tour with a free show at the…
Dua Lipa gives us “everything” as host and musical guest on ‘Saturday Night Live’
May 5, 2024
Rosalind O'Connor/NBC via Getty ImagesDua Lipa pulled double duty on Saturday Night Live on May 4,…
Adam Driver is a man literally on the edge in tease to Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’
May 4, 2024
ABCOn Saturday morning, May 4, legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola dropped a tease to his…
May the cash be with you: Julien’s putting massive trove of ‘Star Wars’ stuff on the auction block
May 3, 2024
Julien's AuctionsTimed in anticipation of May 4's Star Wars Day, Julien's Auctions and Turner…
New Music Friday: Meghan Trainor, Sia and more
May 3, 2024
This week's New Music Friday features new singles from big names and notable album releases from…
NBC renews ‘Night Court’ reboot for a third season
May 3, 2024
NBC/Nicole WeingartNight Court will stay in session at NBC. The network announced on May 3 that the…
Nicholas Galitzine on how BTS inspired his role in ‘The Idea of You’
May 3, 2024
Alisha Wetherill/PrimeNicholas Galitzine plays Hayes Campbell, the lead singer of the fictional boy…
Fourth season of ‘Emily In Paris’ will be split in two
May 3, 2024
Netflix/Stephanie BranchuOn Friday, May 3, the cast of Netflix's Emily In Paris teased the show's…