The National Phallus Museum in Reykjavik has just added a prestigious new artifact to its vast collection: a plaster cast of legendary American guitarist Jimi Hendrix’s erect penis.
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The star’s member now occupies a prominent place among the 400 or so genitalia already on display at the facility: penises of whales encased in plexiglass tubes, formaldehyde-dipped phallus of a raccoon, bronze sculptures of sexes from the Icelandic handball team that won silver at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games…
Curious visitors can view the new piece of jewelry, displayed in a glass cube, from all angles and take photos with their mobile phones.
At the origin of this work: the artist Cynthia Albritton, nicknamed “Cynthia the Plaster Maker”, who made the casts of almost 50 phalluses of rock personalities.
A certificate of authenticity describes the object as a near-perfect copy of the original version made in 1968 – and reproduced in eight copies – two years before Jimi Hendrix’s death.
AFP
The musician, whose repertoire includes tracks such as “Foxy Lady” and “Hey Joe”, died of an overdose in 1970 at the age of 27.
“It is certainly one of our most valuable pieces in terms of monetary value,” said AFP Thórdur Ólafur Thórdarson, deputy curator of the phallological museum, which nonetheless contains the priceless organs of certain rare whale species.
“We are very lucky to have him,” adds the chief phallologist.
Cynthia the Plaster Maker agreed to donate this piece before her death in April, persuaded by a local couple who had visited the museum in downtown Reykjavik.
“They thought it would be a really great opportunity for them to leave a lasting legacy,” says Thórdarson.
Donations from visitors are the source of many items in the museum’s collection.
The cast was revealed in an intimate private ceremony in early June.
“It’s funny,” smiles British tourist Steven Warren. “Why not? He’s a famous character, I’m even surprised they only have him.”
Frenchman Pascal Podwojewski says he doesn’t think “history will remember the size of his penis, it will remember his music more”.
AFP