‘XXX: 30 Porn Star Portraits’ Exhibit Opens in Santa Monica

Hundreds turned out for the opening of photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ "XXX: 30 Porn Star Portraits" exhibit at the Bergamot Station Arts Center Friday night.

The upbeat photographer signed many of the hundreds of books sold at the event and found time to mingle with attendees. Author Gore Vidal, who wrote the book’s introduction, spent much of the night sitting in a chair behind the table where books were being sold. Sitting with cane in hand, he went unrecognized by many in the crowd. Asked for a quote by AVN.com, Vidal said nothing, rather writing in a copy of the reporter’s book, “Adam & Eve at the beginning there was porno then the snake.”

Greenfield-Sanders offered a more traditional, straightforward observation when he said, ”I think it’s full circle with this book. We’re now back in the hometown of porn and it’s very, very thrilling for me because I’ve been so well-received here, it means a lot to me.”

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Tawny Roberts and Tera Patrick

Asked what his inspiration for the book, Greenfield-Sanders said, “I think really after four or five of the shots I got, I was onto something. I was really feeling like they were extraordinary pictures and I felt like I was doing something that was for me. Then I started talking to my writer friends and they all wanted to write for it and I could feel this wave getting bigger and bigger. And [I think] I was very lucky because the subjects were very open and they understood that I was different from the way they’ve been shot before.”

He added that he would like an AVN Award “for bringing the mainstream to porn. I have a Grammy, so I need an AVN Award.”

Greenfield-Sanders resume includes photographing cultural figures from world leaders, presidents, writers, artist, actors and musicians. He is a contributing photographer at GQ, Index and Vanity Fair.

The book, which Greenfield-Sanders said took three years to put together, features 30 porn stars, including Jenna Jameson, Ron Jeremy, Ginger Lynn, Peter North, Christy Canyon. Each performer was shot fully clothed and then completely nude, each set of photos running on full pages facing each other. There are also essays and interviews by people such as Lou Reed, John Waters, Salman Rushdie, Karen Finley, John Malkovich and several others.

The event drew such Hollywood notables as Owen Wilson, Harry Dean Stanton and Brian Grazer.

The adult community was also well represented with porn stars such as Nina Hartley, Justine Joli, Ben English, Tawny Roberts, Mary Carey, Chloe, Eva Angelina, director/photographer Holly Randall and many others.

XXX: 30 Porn Star Portraits is published by Bulfinch Press. The exhibit is sponsored by The Erotic Networks.

Timothy Greenfield-Sanders "XXX: 30 Porn Star Portraits" exhibit runs through April 30 at the Bergamot Station Arts Center, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica. Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. For more information call 310.453.0909 or visit.bergamotstation.com.

Pictured: Owen Wilson and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.