story / Bryanna Doe
artwork /Madison Murray
Two years after her debut ebook turned the topic of a censorship controversy, author and erotic artist Madison Murray is releasing an expanded version of My Gaping Masshole. The Simply the PiXXX Particular Version, obtainable August thirty first by means of impartial writer Cum Punk, consists of 30 further never-before-published works of visible artwork and collage exploring id, sexuality, and the regional tradition of the North Shore of Massachusetts. This new version additionally restores the notorious “banned” parody of Market Basket’s brand, censored in earlier editions after Madison obtained a cease-and-desist letter and a no trespass order from the New England grocery retailer chain.
LADYGUNN sat down with Madison to ask a number of questions on erotica, censorship, and what it means to be a Masshole.
First, inform us all about My Gaping Masshole! What’s the vibe?
It’s a group of what I name topographical erotica, poetry, and pornographic collage about North Shore, Massachusetts, which is the place I used to be born and raised. It’s a love letter to the North Shore, and it’s an expression of who I’m and what I’m about: horny, and somewhat unhappy, and humorous.
I self-published the primary version in February of 2025. Which was nerve-wracking as a result of folks from Massachusetts are very passionate. Very loudly passionate. You by no means wish to botch what they like, as a result of they’ll let you recognize. However fortunately, folks beloved it. And it instilled this sense of group that I by no means had rising up there. Like, the entire nudes within the ebook are both of me or had been submitted to me by folks from Massachusetts, with just some outsiders. And once I needed to do a second version–as a result of one of many fashions had gotten a brand new job, and requested me to not print the primary version anymore as a result of he had his face and his full identify in it–by the point I used to be asking for picture submissions for the second version, folks had been extra into it. So I used to be getting higher poses and extra variety within the form of people that had been submitting, which was cool.
So Simply the PiXXX is definitely the third version. And similar to it sounds, it’s solely photos. Not one of the poetry or writing. I promote it as a ebook for individuals who can’t learn. Or individuals who don’t wish to learn, and are simply right here as a result of they’re sexy. Or they wish to see these historic landmarks that now we have nostalgia for, or no matter.
It sounds just like the reception was fairly optimistic. Had been you stunned in regards to the controversy with Market Basket?
A: It was such a shock that I assumed it was a prank at first. I bought an electronic mail, and it was a cease-and-desist from Market Basket. And my household has shopped there my complete life, so I assumed it was just a few buddy or somebody fucking with me. However no, it was professional. It was their lawyer saying, “This isn’t good for the model, you’re tarnishing the identify of Market Basket, blah blah blah.” And it harm my emotions. I felt like I used to be doing it out of affection and respect, and that in a approach it was even honoring and selling Market Basket. My intention was good. However Massachusetts specifically is based on Puritanism, and I form of overlook that a number of the tradition continues to be caught in that mindset, particularly about intercourse. In order that harm, however I did take heed to them and I took down the brand.
After which after the cease-and-desist, what occurred with the no trespass order?
A: I attempted to do a poetry studying of their car parking zone a number of months later, as a result of clearly folks thought it was hilarious that I bought a cease-and-desist from Market Basket. I imply, it is hilarious. Like, the truth that within the letter they needed to write out the phrase “my gaping Masshole” so many occasions? That’s hilarious. So I made a decision I’d go to the Salem Market Basket, the place I’ve been procuring endlessly, and simply do a cute little pop-up poetry studying within the car parking zone. And actually, inside 5 minutes of me being there, two police vehicles got here and so they gave me a no trespass order. They had been like, “Come on, you know they don’t need you right here.” And I used to be like, “No, truly. I didn’t know that.” It was unlucky to search out out that we had actual beef. So on this new version, I did a humorous parody of the cease-and-desist letter simply to be like, “Fuck you. Is that this sufficient of a parody for you?” However I nonetheless store there.
Did your expertise with Market Basket change the way you strategy incorporating companies into your artwork?
A: Not likely. I really feel prefer it doesn’t look good for them. Like, I’m a vocal particular person. I’m a confrontational particular person. That’s the Masshole approach. If somebody provides me a tough time, I inform folks. My viewers doesn’t like realizing {that a} native enterprise is so uptight, and that they’re coming after the little man. Additionally they reported my Shopify, my on-line retailer. Which was actually not good. You guys have cash, I’m making an attempt to jot down and publish a fucking ebook all on my own. It’s usually not an excellent look.
Talking extra usually, what’s it like being an erotic artist in America as we speak?
I’d say it’s sophisticated. I’m positive you’ve learn all these articles about how, like, eroticism is in all places now however nobody is fucking and nobody needs to fuck. So I really feel like I’ve an obligation to make issues horny and soiled. However good. And likewise, humorous. I all the time attempt to incorporate humor. However I do need it to truly be horny. I believe proper now every thing is so curated to be horny that it feels pressured, and it’s not hitting. It simply feels prefer it’s being shoved down our throats. I believe that’s the place we’re at proper now.
Do you are feeling like erotic artwork will get a foul rap, or prefer it’s not taken as significantly as an artwork kind accurately?
Completely. Artwork continues to be artwork whether or not there’s nudity or sexual exercise in it, it doesn’t make it much less so. For My Gaping Masshole, I form of deliberately “bimbified” the ebook and myself to promote it. After which as soon as folks bought their palms on the ebook, they might see how a lot thought and care and love and literary talent, or regardless of the fuck you wish to name it, went into it. They usually had been like, “Oh, I see. So she does have a mind.” And it’s so unhappy that that’s an epiphany for folks, however I anticipated that. There are nonetheless some dismissive folks, notably on the web, who’re like, “No matter, some fucking slut wrote a ebook, woo-hoo.” And I simply assume, “Are you aware what number of different quote-unquote sluts have written books? So much.” And a number of the time, it’s a efficiency. No less than in my case, it’s performative. I’m embodying a personality, you recognize? It’s drag, basically. It’s a part of the artwork.
How completely different is Madison Murray the character from Madison Murray the particular person?
I consider the character as a bizarre combination of individuals I do know, or have recognized, and likewise previous variations of myself. So whereas aesthetically it’s fairly completely different, I nonetheless attempt to be genuine. I amplify the loopy and the horny, however I believe the sexiest factor you are able to do as an erotic author or creator or no matter it’s, is be sincere.
And what’s the principle factor that you really want folks to learn about Madison Murray, the artist?
A: That I’m making an attempt my greatest. And that I actually care. I care quite a bit about no matter it’s that I’m committing my time to, and I put a number of calculated effort into this stuff. My greatest worry is being perceived as silly. I’m sensible! I’m not silly.
