Benedikt Taschen Puts Racy Artwork Up for Sale at New Gallery

This story first appeared in the April 24 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

The new Taschen Gallery on Beverly Boulevard currently features nudity and fetishism in photos and comics from two late underground artists. “Bizarre Life — The Art of Elmer Batters & Eric Stanton,” the gallery’s second show since its opening in December, is on view and consists of more than 200 works — some for sale from the private collection of head honcho Benedikt Taschen, who tells THR that he’s parting with the racy pieces out of respect.

“Over the years, we got requests all the time to buy their works,” he says. “We wanted to do a great show first because that’s what I owe these true artists and pioneers. Their life stories, by the way, are 100 percent Hollywood drama — a mix of Goodfellas, Boogie Nights, Ed Wood and, of course, Pulp Fiction.”