Although a great deal of thought went into the concept and creation of SexArt, the site is — proudly and unashamedly — a work in progress. The artists — writers, performers, directors, and photographers — who contribute to SexArt all have distinct ideas of the type of art they want to create. But nobody exists in a vacuum. And everybody involved with SexArt is keenly interested in how the audience reacts and responds to the art they so painstakingly create. The fact that so many members have chosen to provide honest and thoughtful feedback — either by posting a comment or by contacting SexArt directly — is hugely important. SexArt is pioneering an entirely new form of online adult entertainment, but if it doesn't appeal to and satisfy the audience, what's the point?

It was the enthusiastic and insightful comments of a SexArt member — using the moniker "solrage" — that triggered these thoughts. In his comments, solrage has shared his own opinions of the site and various films and pictorials, and he's also participated in spirited exchanges with other commenters. His mention of two important directors of erotic cinema — Tinto Brass and Just Jaekin — got me thinking about the history of the art form, and how far it has come in a relatively short period of time.

As recently as the 1950s films featuring total nudity, much less explicit sexuality, were a strictly underground phenomenon. The arrival of the "sexual revolution" in the 1960s opened the door to increased eroticism in films, and yet a groundbreaking production like the Swedish "I Am Curious (Yellow)" was seized by American Customs and subject to a lengthy legal battle. But with social taboos evaporating artists were eager to experiment with erotic cinema, and audiences had a growing hunger for it.

The histories of erotic cinema and porn films do overlap to some degree — Bernardo Bertolucci's Academy Award nominated "Last Tango in Paris" and the XXX sensation "Deep Throat" were both released in 1972. But cinematic erotica and porn are two entirely different things, particularly in the digital era. In the 1970s if you wanted to view either type of film there was only one place to do it — in a movie theater. Now, of course, anyone with an Internet connection can view as much X-rated film footage as his appetite can handle. Finding artistic, high quality, erotic films online is nearly impossible, however — and that's exactly why SexArt was created.

SexArt debuted with the final works of legendary erotic cinematic artist Zalman King, and the guiding influence of photographer and filmmaker David Hamilton is certainly in evidence here, and at MetArt, as well. SexArt member solrage rates Tinto Brass and Just Jaekin ("Emmanuelle" and "The Story of O") among his favorite creators of erotic films. In a friendly effort to stir the pot I will submit one of my personal favorites, Russ "Supervixens" Meyer.

Now it's your turn to join the conversation. As the Italian innovator of erotica, Tinto Brass, once said: "Pornography is there to give you an erection. Erotica is there to give you emotions." Who are the directors who move you the most? What are your favorite erotic films? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, below. Together, we can make SexArt the adult cinematic site of our dreams.