Amphierotic

Also, Amphieroticsm

 Amphiertic, The Gay Dictionary Series (8" x 8") January 2013

I did not know or use “Amphierotic” either in writing or speech before doing the Gay Dictionary series, so when my search for gay related words found it, I jumped on it – yes, I know that is an unfortunate pun.  The word is synonymous with “androgynous” and almost to “bisexual” and is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “capacity of erotic reaction toward either sex.”  In the future I shall use it whenever the occasion allows.  I can find no extended definition with word origin, though “amphi” meaning “both sides” comes from the Latin by way of the ancient Greek tongue and is related to “ambi,” meaning either/or. The term was invented by the Hungarian Psychoanalyst, Sandor Ferenczi (Ferenczi Sandor in Hungarian usage).*

I’ve imbedded bits and pieces of historic amphieroticsm in the layers of the distressed painting including “The Right Honorable J. A. Plantagenet Stewart,” (a cross dresser) painting by Thomas Hazelhurst (circa 1800).  A photographic image of Sandor Ferenczi is partially buried in paint and paper near the center of the artwork.   I’ve also buried the definition of AC/DC as electric current as well as the vernacular form that is synonymous with amphierotic in the layers of distressed paint and torn paper.  There are other buried and lost historic images, and some purposefully left very visible.  These are not my images, nor do I own them.  They were found on the Website, “Homo History,”  a great site for images specific to gay and lesbian history.


*Ferenczi (1873-1933) was an associate of Sigmund Freud.  Ferenczi advocated for a more active role on the part of the psychoanalyst than Freud.  He believed that an active empathy was the foundation of interaction between patient and psychoanalyst during therapy.