By Jess McCabe | 24 October 2008, 14:18

Mayuma Oda’s work is fascinating - I came across her via AfterEllen’s post about the documentary Who Does She Think She Is?

Sounds like a great film.

But the image of Oda’s work Mamala the Surfrider struck me immediately - perhaps this is a total misinterpretation, but I love that she’s given this mermaid-esque figure legs and the exuberant fun of it - the latter being a theme that runs through many of her amazing prints. One series is even called Cosmic Playground.

Here’s another one, and another. Madonna and child as koala bears? Goddess rides bicycle with elephant?

Elsewhere:

A Room of Our Own considers the Mario Vargas Llosa novel Pantaleón y las visitadoras. I read this last year, and there are definitely some problems with how rape and prostitutes/sex workers are portrayed, but it’s still a brilliant satirical novel.

Courtney at Feministing revisits the work of Cuban-American artist Ana Mendieta, whose works ranged “from the tracks made by the artist dragging her blood-covered arms down a wall to the pigment-filled void of her silhouette pressed into a sandy beach”.

Sudy writes about sex and the New York Times’ best-seller list.

Turning a nightmare-scenario into a comic play, Stephen Keyworth’s performance and workshop “boygirlfruitflower: A (Gay Disabled Transexual) Love Story Told to a Ticket Inspector at Alton Towers” centres around the true story of Robert Softley and his partner, who were refused entry to Alton Towers theme park because both are disabled. The staff didn’t want to let them into the theme park without an able-bodied person!! Helen has more.

Finally, Harpymarx reviews the Turner Prize nominees.