Ottawa gallery to rent out space for porn shoots
An Ottawa art gallery struggling to pay the bills is offering its space to adult film producers looking for an "artsy" backdrop.
Le Petite Mort Gallery, on Cumberland Street in the Byward Market area, is already courting two porn producers interested in the gallery's backdrop of nude paintings.
"It's exciting for me to share my space," said gallery owner Guy Bérubé, as he pointed out the various features of the gallery — which is already named after the French euphemism for "orgasm."
"I'm freaking out," he said. "The idea is just so crazy. I'm not sure what to expect next."
Bérubé has rented out his gallery for private events in the past, but said he can charge double for adult films.
"I'm a starving gallerist," he said.
"It takes some of the pressure away of having to sell constantly to pay our bills."
Other Ottawa gallery owners have mixed feelings about Bérubé's idea.
Peter Gelbman, who runs Carmel Art Gallery and a framing service, said it's getting increasingly difficult to sell art to the public. Many artists are also selling work out of home studios or on the Internet, Gelbman said, making it even harder for gallery owners to make money.
He said Bérubé's move was a "moral question," but if the money is being used to keep the lights on, "that's just fine with me."
Dan Pellerin runs Wallack Galleries, the oldest commercial gallery in Ottawa.
"I don't think it's one everyone will agree with," Pellerin said, adding it's pretty "gutsy" for Ottawa's standards.
"I think it goes to show us that Ottawa's grown up."
Pierre Luc St-Laurent, the owner of Gallerie St-Laurent + Hill gallery, said most galleries rent out their space, but this is "an extreme."
"Who would want to arrive after the fact in a gallery where they film porn?"
Bérubé isn't bothered. He said he's looking at his new venture as an artistic experiment.
"I've seen some great porn, I've seen some really bad porn," Bérubé said. "I'm hoping this space can motivate them to do fantastic porn."