Shock is in the eye of the beholder, but when Instagram banned the work of Australian artist Aisling Isolde, she gained a new, international audience for her raw, deglamorized eroticism. Come with us on a taboo-breaking journey beyond the hang-ups down under.
HUSTLER: What’s it like to have your art banned?
AISLING ISOLDE: I did feel rather upset at first, having my own hashtag, #AislingIsolde, banned on Instagram. I think it’s been lifted since, but I haven’t used it just in case. Using banned hashtags can get you shadowbanned, which is when your content is hidden from new audiences, making it very challenging to grow your following. Did you know the hashtag “curvy” was banned? Ridiculous! It hasn’t and never will stop me from creating the art I love.
Was there a specific image that got your hashtag banned?
I’m honestly not sure, since they don’t actually clarify. Based on the timing, perhaps it was the nude acrobat? There is so much worse out there! Nudity is allowed in art and sculpture, according to Instagram’s ambiguous guidelines, but nipples are apparently more offensive than hate speech.
It’s strange to see violence and hate speech get a free pass, while female nudity is red-flagged.
