Sex Parts (FS. II 174) embodies Andy Warhol’s fearless exploration of art, sexuality, and identity. Created in 1978, this portfolio emerged from a series of intimate photo sessions with models Warhol encountered in New York’s gay bathhouses and clubs—a project facilitated by his assistant, Victor Hugo. Warhol later divided these photographs into two series: Torsos, featuring sensual studies of the body, and *Sex Parts*, which directly depicted explicit sexual acts, boldly challenging traditional boundaries between fine art and obscenity.

Sex Parts (FS. II 174) presents a candid side view of male genitalia at the moment of impending sexual union, capturing a raw, suspended instant of intimacy. Warhol’s tight cropping eliminates facial features and context, focusing solely on the act itself. By stripping the scene of individual identity, he universalizes the themes of vulnerability, desire, and the act of giving oneself to another.

Like the other five prints in the portfolio, Sex Parts (FS. II 174) reflects Warhol’s audacious approach to explicit imagery, urging viewers to question conventional distinctions between private intimacy and public display. By isolating moments of physical connection, Warhol redefines erotic art, transforming it into a vehicle for broader conversations about human connection and personal identity.

Despite facing resistance from galleries and collectors, Warhol remained committed to confronting societal taboos—particularly those surrounding his own experience as a gay man. The Sex Parts series marks a pivotal chapter in his career, coinciding with the broader cultural shifts ushered in by the burgeoning LGBTQ+ movement.

Rendered in stark black and white with a sketch-like immediacy reminiscent of his experimental films, *Sex Parts 174* stands as a candid, unflinching expression of male sexuality. Through these intimate images, Warhol invites viewers to reflect on the universal human experiences of trust, vulnerability, and the fundamental desire for connection.