Art and porn have always grazed each other, bumping briefly before continuing in their separate directions. Julio Aguilera and Carmen Luvana are bringing them together intentionally this time, with the singular goal of making art and porn stick.

Carmen Luvana, the Adam & Eve contract star, has agreed to be the first subject in a series of paintings featuring prominent adult film stars. New York artist Julio Aguilera has experimented with a number of topics in the past, crafting swirling chess matches, dizzying smokers and stark portraits. But, "A porn star is a new challenge," the artist says. "Carmen requires more than just a portrait," he continues, "she is the focal point for any study of the human body, plus the passion and intensity that follow in her wake."

This experiment, according to Aguilera, is expected to consist of five paintings, each one of a different adult film star. With an abstract style inspired by Picasso, El Goya and Greco, he hopes to reflect the heat implied by the pose of each star he studies. The girls still will be recognizable, but the abstract rendering will make visual that which usually is hidden. "Imagine seeing a heat map of Carmen in stark contrast to a blue background," Aguilera says. "You see her in an entirely different way. But, you still know it’s Carmen.

Picasso inspired this still untitled project, Aguilera says. Specifically, he recalls "Les Demoiselles d’Avignon," which Picasso originally wanted to entitle "Prostitutes of Avignon" before his dealer forced the more mundane moniker. Aguilera views Picasso as a mentor and role model. "All he did was paint and sculpt and fuck," the artist says of his inspiration, "so working with porn stars just makes sense to me."

Luvana was Aguilera’s first choice for his new project because of her "body style, passion and intensity." when she enters a scene, she’s just on fire!" Aguilera also admits that he has a soft spot for the way Luvana often breaks into her (and Augilera’s) native Spanish during her performances.

For Luvana, working with Aguilera was a unique opportunity she just had to take. "Tv and movie crossovers are becoming so common, she says. Crossing over into art is going to be wild. I’ve never done anything like this before."

Augilera is an established artist in New York. His work in on display at the Venezuelan consulate Gallery and has appeared in the Marriott Marquis in New York, the International ArtExpo at the Jacobo Javits Center and the Latin Museum in Miami.

For more information, please contact Adam & Eve Public Relations Director Katy Zvolerin at 919.644.8100 x 3121 or katy@adameve.com.