Sex Parts (FS. II 177) exemplifies Andy Warhol’s fearless exploration of art, sexuality, and identity. Created in 1978, this series grew out of Warhol’s private photo sessions with models he met through New York’s gay bathhouses and clubs, a project facilitated by his assistant, Victor Hugo. From these sessions, Warhol developed two bodies of work: Torsos, focused on sensual studies of the human form, and *Sex Parts*, which candidly captured explicit sexual acts, directly confronting traditional distinctions between art and obscenity.

Echoing the composition of FS II.175, Sex Parts (FS. II 177) depicts the gripping of an erect penis from a dominant, overhead perspective. The tight framing on the hand and genitalia—stripped of any facial features or broader context—centers the viewer’s attention on the dynamics of power, submission, and desire inherent in acts of intimacy. By removing identity, Warhol universalizes the scene, prompting reflection on the fundamental experiences of control, vulnerability, and human connection.

Like the other five prints in the portfolio, Sex Parts FS. II 177) reflects Warhol’s audacious approach to depicting explicit scenes, challenging viewers to reconsider conventional boundaries between private acts and public art. His choice to isolate intimate physical gestures subverts traditional notions of eroticism, recasting them as powerful meditations on the nature of trust and human connection.

Despite facing resistance from galleries and collectors, Warhol remained steadfast in his commitment to exploring themes of sexuality, desire, and personal identity—particularly those tied to his experience as a gay man. The Sex Parts series marked a transformative phase in his career and coincided with a broader cultural shift, fueled by the burgeoning LGBTQ+ movement.

Rendered in stark black and white with a sketch-like immediacy reminiscent of Warhol’s experimental films, Sex Parts (FS. II 177) stands as a raw, unfiltered expression of male sexuality. Through these intimate images, Warhol invites viewers to engage with universal themes of power, vulnerability, and the profound human need for connection.