Owl Porn 

Lucia Heffernan created this comical painting, Owl Porn, sometime after 1966. Heffernan's painting satirizes the institutions of knowledge and power in Western society. The anthropomorphic owl, dressed in spectacles and perched in a leather armchair, is a symbol of authority and intellectualism. However, he is reading a book titled "Hooters, How to Catch Your Prey in 3 Easy Steps," which is a humorous subversion of highbrow literary culture. The artist seems to be poking fun at the ways in which knowledge can be commodified and trivialized. The painting suggests that even the most erudite figures can be susceptible to base desires. This image offers a playful commentary on the human condition, highlighting the tension between our higher aspirations and our more primal instincts. To better understand the institutional critique in Heffernan’s work, look at the rise of self-help publishing, the democratization of information, and the effect on our cultural values.