Museum of Sex Miami Presents “Hard Art: Unruly Selections From the Beth Rudin Dewoody Collection”, Opening October 17, 2025
- laurie2769
- Oct 7
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 7
Visitors are invited to experience one of the world’s most daring private collections in Miami’s Allapattah District.
Ryan Wilde, Kinkster, 2020
Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody
Courtesy of the artist and Brigitte Mulholland, Paris
Museum of Sex Miami, South Florida’s cultural landmark dedicated to exploring the intersections of art, sexuality, and society, is set to unveil “Hard Art: Unruly Selections from the Beth Rudin DeWoody Collection”. Debuting on October 17th, this provocative exhibition unites two institutions dedicated to supporting artist’s voices and championing uncensored expression, offering a bold and unflinching look at eroticism, power and cultural taboos through the lens of DeWoody’s visionary collection.
Beth Rudin DeWoody, collector, philanthropist, and curator, has amassed a vast collection since acquiring her first drawing in 1969 at just 17 years old. Today, her holdings include some of the most daring works in contemporary art, with a keen eye for the witty, alluring, and subversive. Known for championing emerging and underrepresented voices, DeWoody embraces works that challenge convention and invite dialogue, seamlessly weaving pieces of eroticism into both her public exhibitions and personal living spaces–continually redefining what it means to be a true patron of contemporary art. The exhibition will present a wide range of media spanning from the 1930s to the present, including sculptures, paintings, collages, photography, and interactive installations. Visitors will encounter works that reframe sexuality in both playful and confrontational ways, with a focus on artists and content historically censored.
Beth Rudin DeWoody
“I’ve always been drawn to the erotic in art because it can be playful and deviant. We all like to feel a bit naughty,” said DeWoody. “If we’re not creating the work, we take pleasure in viewing it, even if we don’t always admit it. The Museum of Sex is daring, unbridled, and just plain fun, which is exactly why I love it. I couldn’t be happier about this collaboration and the chance to share a part of my collection that rarely gets seen.”
Joan Semmel
Red White and Blue, 1973
Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody
Courtesy Alexander Gray Associates, New York
© Joan Semmel / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Rebecca Morgan, Flashing on FaceTime while Smoking, 2021
Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody
Courtesy of the artist and Asya Geisberg Gallery, New York
Karen Finley, dick pic, 2018
Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody
Courtesy of the artist and FIERMAN, NY
Jane Dickson, Cameo No. 2, 2019
Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody
Photo by Jason Wyche, Courtesy of the artist and KARMA
Delia Brown, An Elegant Woman in her Library, 2022
Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody
Courtesy of the artist
Ana Benaroya, Looking at me Looking at You, 2019
Collection of Beth Rudin DeWoody
Courtesy of the artist and Richard Heller Gallery
A centerpiece of the exhibition is Marco Brambilla’s Sync (2006), a two-channel video installation that was once displayed in DeWoody’s own home. The work creates a sensory overload, splicing rapid-fire scenes of intimacy and sexual acts drawn from film, juxtaposed with split-screen footage of audience reactions. Placed at the end of the exhibition, Sync serves as both a climax and a reflection point, pushing viewers to consider their own role as observers. Alongside Brambilla, the exhibition will feature works by Jimmy DeSana, Bunny Yeager, John Kayser, and others, creating a dynamic dialogue between artists who have long tested the boundaries of cultural comfort.
Since opening in 2024, the Museum of Sex in Miami has quickly established itself as South Florida’s newest cultural destination. Building on the legacy of its New York flagship, the museum creates exhibitions and experiences that challenge assumptions while celebrating the role of sexuality in art, history, and everyday life. With Hard Art, the museum continues its mission to push dialogue forward and provide a platform for artists whose work explores the many dimensions of desire. Hard Art will be on view through May 2026.
For tickets and more information, please visit www.museumofsex.com or follow @MuseumofSex.