Madonna knows how to cause a commotion. Her 1992 book SEX was banned in several countries (even the Vatican issued a statement) due to its sexually explicit nature. Despite efforts to quell the project’s contents—which featured photography from Steven Meisel and appearances from Naomi Campbell and Vanilla Ice—it became one of the most sought-after publications of all time.
Now prints from the oh-so-controversial contents of SEX are set to be auctioned this Fall at Christie’s. “Madonna x Meisel — The SEX Photographs” will highlight nearly fifty photographs from the book with proceeds benefitting the singer’s non-profit Raising Malawi.
Released in tandem with Erotica, her fifth studio album, SEX saw Madonna tap into the persona of “Mistress Dita” and pose in burlesque clubs, hotels, and gritty city streets. While the singer faced extensive backlash at the time, three decades later, it is amongst the best-selling coffee-table books in history.
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