Cynthia Plaster Caster

{{Infobox artist

| image = Cynthia Plaster Caster in 2002.webp

| caption = Cynthia Plaster Caster in 2002, holding a cast of Jimi Hendrix's penis.

| birth_name = Cynthia Dorothy Albritton

| birth_date = {{birth date|1947|5|24}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|04|21|1947|05|24}}

| death_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

| education = University of Illinois Chicago

| known_for = Sculpting

}}

Cynthia Dorothy Albritton (May 24, 1947 – April 21, 2022), better known by the pseudonym Cynthia Plaster Caster, was an American visual artist and self-described "recovering groupie" who gained fame for creating plaster casts of celebrities' erect penises.

Albritton began her career in 1968 by casting penises of rock musicians. She later expanded her subjects to include filmmakers and other types of artists, eventually amassing a collection of 50 plaster phalluses.{{Cite web|url=https://allthatsinteresting.com/cynthia-plaster-caster|title=Meet the Groupie Who Made Plaster Casts Out of Rock Music's Most Famous Penises|date=November 2017}} In 2000, she began casting female artists' breasts.

Biography

Albritton was born in Chicago.{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/27/arts/music/cynthia-albritton-dies.html|title = Cynthia Albritton, 74, the Michelangelo Of Immortalizing Male Rockers' Genitals|newspaper = The New York Times|date = April 28, 2022|accessdate = April 30, 2022|page = B12|last = Genzlinger|first = Neil|url-access = limited|archive-date = April 8, 2023|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230408171622/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/27/arts/music/cynthia-albritton-dies.html|url-status = live}} In the late 1960s, she became active in the free love and rock music subcultures. Albritton studied at the University of Illinois Chicago.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/apr/25/cynthia-plaster-caster-the-artist-whose-rock-star-penis-sculptures-asked-big-questions-about-manhood|title=Cynthia Plaster Caster: the artist whose rock star penis sculptures asked big questions about manhood|last=Hutchinson|first=Kate|date=April 25, 2022|website=The Guardian}} In college, when her art teacher gave the class an assignment to "plaster cast something solid that could retain its shape", she had the idea to create a lifecast of an erect penis, which would then become flaccid and exit the mold. She created molds using alginate, and Jimi Hendrix was the first celebrity that she made a cast of.

File:Jimi Hendrix's plaster cast penis.jpg's penis on display at the Icelandic Phallological Museum.]]

Frank Zappa found the concept of her casts both humorous and creative, though he himself had no interest in having his penis cast. Zappa became a patron of Albritton and moved her to Los Angeles. In 1971, after her apartment was burgled, Zappa and Albritton entrusted her casts to Herb Cohen for safekeeping. Albritton sought to create an art exhibition of her casts, but did not have enough participants. She made no new casts between 1971 and 1980.

In 1993, Albritton filed a lawsuit against Cohen because he would not return the casts that she had given him for safekeeping. She got all but three back.{{Cite news|last=Philips|first=Chuck|title=Plaster Caster Lawsuit Set for Court Wednesday|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-04-13-ca-22309-story.html|access-date=January 7, 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=April 13, 1993}}{{Cite book |last=Wallechinsky |first=David |author2=Amy D. Wallace |author3=Ira Basen |author4=Jane Farrow |year=2006 |title=The book of lists: the original compendium of curious information |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MJBK8YlJHNcC&pg=PA355 |edition=Canadian |location=Toronto |publisher=Seal Books |isbn=9780307366177 |pages=355–356}} In 2000, Albritton held her first exhibition of the casts in New York City. She also decided to begin casting women's breasts.

In 2009, Albritton won the Rob Pruitt Award at the first annual Guggenheim Art Awards, held at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.{{Cite web |last=Rosenberg |first=Karen |date=2009-10-30 |title=Art Awards and Irony at the Guggenheim |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/art-awards-and-irony-at-the-guggenheim/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=ArtsBeat |language=en}} She was a candidate for mayor of Chicago in the 2011 election on the "Hard Party" ticket.

Albritton died from cerebrovascular disease at a care facility in Chicago on April 21, 2022, at the age of 74.{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2022/04/cynthia-plaster-caster-obit/|title=Cynthia Albritton, Known As Cynthia Plaster Caster, Dies At 74|first=Grace Ann|last=Natawan|work=Spin|date=April 21, 2022|accessdate=April 21, 2022}} Shortly before her death, Albritton donated a copy of her 1968 plaster cast of Jimi Hendrix's erect penis to the Icelandic Phallological Museum.{{cite news | last =Koe | first =Crystal | title =Plaster Cast of Jimi Hendrix's Penis to be Unveiled at Iceland's Phallological Museum: All in the name of Phallology | newspaper =Guitar.com | location = | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =25 May 2022 | url =https://guitar.com/news/music-news/plaster-cast-of-jimi-hendrix-penis-iceland-phallological-museum/ | accessdate =3 June 2022 | archive-date =June 3, 2022 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20220603170725/https://guitar.com/news/music-news/plaster-cast-of-jimi-hendrix-penis-iceland-phallological-museum/ | url-status =live }}

Legacy

Albritton's life has served as inspiration for multiple pieces of media, such as Good Girls Revolt, The Banger Sisters,{{Cite web |last=Jasmine |first=Lucretia Tye |date=2022-05-23 |title=Cynthia Plaster Caster, Super Artist and SuperGroupie! May 24, 1947 – April 21, 2022 |url=https://thelosangelesbeat.com/2022/05/cynthia-plaster-caster-super-artist-and-supergroupie-may-24-1947-april-21-2022/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=The LA Beat |language=en-US}} and Drive-Away Dolls.{{Cite web |last=Saperstein |first=Pat |date=2024-02-23 |title=Who Was Cynthia Plaster Caster, Who Inspired Miley Cyrus’ Character in Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive Away Dolls’? |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/who-was-cynthia-plaster-caster-miley-cyrus-drive-away-dolls-1235920770/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US |archive-date=February 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226044606/https://variety.com/2024/film/news/who-was-cynthia-plaster-caster-miley-cyrus-drive-away-dolls-1235920770/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Jenni |date=2024-02-24 |title=Miley Cyrus 'Drive-Away Dolls' cameo explained |url=https://mashable.com/article/drive-away-dolls-cynthia-plaster-caster-miley-cyrus |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Mashable |language=en}} In 2001, a documentary film, Plaster Caster, was made about her.{{Cite web |last=Camper |first=Fred |date=1985-10-26 |title=Plaster Caster |url=https://chicagoreader.com/film/plaster-caster/ |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Chicago Reader |language=en-US}} She also contributed to the 2005 BBC Three documentary My Penis and I, made by British filmmaker Lawrence Barraclough about his anxiety over his penis size.{{cite news |date=October 3, 2007 |title=Has your penis been short-changed? |url=http://metro.co.uk/2007/10/03/has-your-penis-been-short-changed-213646/ |accessdate=July 27, 2015 |work=Metro}}

She inspired the songs "Five Short Minutes" by Jim Croce{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Abby |date=2022-04-21 |title=R.I.P. Cynthia "Plaster Caster" Albritton |url=https://consequence.net/2022/04/r-i-p-cynthia-plaster-caster-albritton/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Consequence |language=en-US}} and "Plaster Caster" by Kiss. She is also mentioned in Momus' song "The Penis Song" and the Le Tigre song "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo". Albritton's voice features in a recorded telephone conversation in the album Permanent Damage by The GTOs{{Cite web |last=Aswad |first=Jem |date=2022-04-21 |title=Cynthia Albritton, a.k.a. Cynthia Plaster Caster, Artist and ‘Recovering Groupie,’ Dies at 74 |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/cynthia-plaster-caster-groupie-dead-dies-1235238513/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

List of casts

Source:{{cite web |url=http://www.cynthiaplastercaster.com/flash/home.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011216084534/http://www.cynthiaplastercaster.com/flash/home.html |archive-date=December 16, 2001 |title=home}}

=Men=

0002 Joel Coplon (February 16, 1968), friend
0003 Al Hernandez (February 18, 1968), friend
0004 Jimi Hendrix (February 25, 1968), guitarist – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
0005 Noel Redding (March 30, 1968), bass player – The Jimi Hendrix Experience
0006 Don Ogilvie (May 5, 1968), road manager – Mandala (band)
0007 Bob Pridden (August 1, 1968), road manager and engineer – The Who
0008 Eric Burdon (September 3, 1969), singer – The Animals (mold failure, no cast)
0009 Richard Cole (November 26, 1968), tour manager – Led Zeppelin
0010 Dennis Thompson (February 26, 1969), drummer – MC5
0011 Wayne Kramer (February 26, 1969), guitarist – MC5
0012 Frank Cook (March 31, 1969), drummer – Pacific Gas & Electric (band)
0013 Fritz Richmond (May 12, 1969), washtub bass player – Jim Kweskin Jug Band
0014 Michael Vestey (May 30, 1969), record producer
0015 Bob Grant (June 5, 1969), conservative radio host
0016 Anthony Newley (June 7, 1969), singer/songwriter
0017 Danay West (June 11, 1969), manager – Iron Butterfly (never returned by Cohen)
0018 Eddie Brigati (June 23, 1969), singer – The Rascals
0019 Barry Bono (June 23, 1969), road manager – The Rascals (never returned by Cohen)
0020 Harvey Mandel (July 10, 1969), guitarist
0021 Lee Mallory (July 22, 1969), singer/songwriter
0022 Doug Dillard (July 27, 1969), banjo player – The Dillards (mold failure, no cast)
0023 John Barr (July 30, 1969), bass player – The Churls
0024 Tony Stevens (September 7, 1969), bass player – Foghat, Savoy Brown (never returned by Cohen)
0025 Keef Hartley (September 8, 1969), drummer – Keef Hartley Band, others (mold failure, no cast)
0026 Keith Webb (September 9, 1969), drummer – Terry Reid
0027 Bob Henrit (April 30, 1970), drummer – Argent (band), The Kinks
0028 Zal Yanovsky (July 14, 1970), singer/guitarist – The Lovin' Spoonful
0032 Aynsley Dunbar (September 30, 1970), drummer – The Mothers of Invention, Journey (band), others
0033 Ricky Fataar (October 28, 1971), drummer – Beach Boys, Bonnie Raitt, The Rutles
0034 Smutty Smiff (Steven Douglas Smith) (October 12, 1980), bass player – Levi and the Rockats (mold failure, no cast)
0035 John Smothers (November 29, 1980), bodyguard – Frank Zappa
0036 Ivan Karamazov (Howard Jay Patterson) (June 11, 1981), juggler – The Flying Karamazov Brothers
0037 Shane Eason (January 22, 1982), drummer – Loverboy
0038 Mary Byker (Ian Garfield Hoxley) (April 16, 1988), singer – Gaye Bykers on Acid
0039 Jon Langford (June 29, 1988), singer/guitarist – The Mekons, The Three Johns
0040 Chris Connelly (September 8, 1988), singer – Revolting Cocks, Ministry (band)
0043 Clint Poppie (Clint Mansell) (September 30, 1989) singer – Pop Will Eat Itself
0044 Terryll Loffler (June 30, 1990), filmmaker
0045 Brian St. Clair (February 19, 1991), drummer – Rights of the Accused, Triple Fast Action, Local H
0047 Jello Biafra (Eric Reed Boucher) (April 29, 1991), singer – Dead Kennedys
0048 Pete Shelley (Peter McNeish) (November 10, 1991), singer/songwriter/guitarist – Buzzcocks (mold failure, no cast)
0049 Bart Flores (August 8, 1993), drummer – Wreck (band), Pigface
0050 Ronnie Barnett (August 9, 1993) bass player – The Muffs
0051 Richard Lloyd (May 11, 1994), guitarist – Television (band), Matthew Sweet
0052 Mike Diana (March 3, 1995), cartoonist
0054 Martin Atkins (February 21, 1996), drummer – Public Image Limited, Killing Joke, Pigface, Ministry (band), Nine Inch Nails
0057 Russ Forster (September 29, 1997), filmmaker, fanzine writer, label owner Underdog Records, multi-instrumentalist with Spongetunnel, engineer for Screeching Weasel
0060 Momus (Nick Currie) (February 14, 1998), singer/songwriter
0062 Jake Shillingford (December 18, 1999), singer – My Life Story
0065 Danny Doll Rod (Dan Kroha) (March 15, 2000), guitarist – Demolition Doll Rods
0067 Billy Dolan (April 2, 2000), guitarist – Five Style
0069 David Yow (August 6, 2000), actor, singer/bassist – The Jesus Lizard, Scratch Acid
0071 Bobby Conn (Jeffrey Stafford) (January 18, 2001), singer/songwriter/guitarist
0073 Lawrence Barraclough (September 26, 2004), filmmaker (of My Penis and I)
0074 Lawrence Barraclough (September 26, 2004), filmmaker
0075 Ariel Pink (Ariel Marcus Rosenberg) (February 19, 2006), singer/songwriter
0077 Lias Kaci Saoudi (March 20, 2014), singer – Fat White Family

=Women=

00001 Suzi Gardner (May 28, 2000), singer/guitarist – L7
00002 Suzi Gardner (May 28, 2000), singer/guitarist – L7
00003 Christine Doll Rod (Christine Gomoll) (August 26, 2000), drummer – Demolition Doll Rods
00004 Christine Doll Rod (Christine Gomoll) (August 26, 2000), drummer – Demolition Doll Rods
00005 Margaret Doll Rod (Margaret Gomoll) (August 26, 2000), singer/guitarist – Demolition Doll Rods
00006 Margaret Doll Rod (Margaret Gomoll) (August 26, 2000), singer/guitarist – Demolition Doll Rods
00007 Monica BouBou (January 18, 2001), singer/violinist – Wife of Bobby Conn
00008 Monica BouBou (January 18, 2001), singer/violinist – Wife of Bobby Conn
00009 Lætitia Sadier (January 28, 2001), singer/keyboardist – Stereolab
00010 Lætitia Sadier (January 28, 2001), singer/keyboardist – Stereolab
00011 Peaches (Merrill Beth Nisker) (May 9, 2001), singer
00012 Peaches (Merrill Beth Nisker) (May 9, 2001), singer
00013 Sally Timms (May 30, 2001), singer – The Mekons
00014 Sally Timms (May 30, 2001), singer – The Mekons
00023 Stephanie Barber (February 9, 2002), artist
00024 Stephanie Barber (February 9, 2002), artist
00027 Karen O (Karen Lee Orzolek) (May 1, 2003), singer – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
00028 Karen O (Karen Lee Orzolek) (May 1, 2003), singer – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
00029 Cynthia Plaster Caster (self) (May 26, 2013), artist
00030 Cynthia Plaster Caster (self) (May 26, 2013), artist
00031 Cynthia Plaster Caster (self) (May 26, 2013), artist
00032 Cynthia Plaster Caster (self) (May 26, 2013), artist
00033 Jan Terri (December 15, 2013), singer/songwriter
00034 Jan Terri (December 15, 2013), singer/songwriter

References

{{Reflist|refs=

Albritton, Cynthia official website [http://www.cynthiaplastercaster.com/flash/home.html The Long and the Short of It] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018064139/http://www.cynthiaplastercaster.com/flash/home.html |date=October 18, 2018 }} Retrieved September 20, 2008 Requires Flash

Elejalde-Ruiz, Alexia (October 31, 2010). [https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/10/31/cynthia-plaster-caster-runs-for-chicago-mayor/ "Cynthia Plaster Caster Runs for Chicago Mayor"], Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 18, 2011.

Costello, Brian (November 4, 2010). [https://web.archive.org/web/20110924173358/http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2010/11/04/qanda-with-mayoral-candidate-cynthia-plaster-caster "Q&A with Mayoral Candidate Cynthia Plaster Caster"], Chicago Reader. Retrieved November 18, 2011.

[http://archive.salon.com/people/feature/2000/07/12/cynthiapc/ Cynthia Plaster Caster: Art with Staying Power] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071122154740/http://archive.salon.com/people/feature/2000/07/12/cynthiapc/ |date=November 22, 2007 }}, a Salon interview

{{cite AV media notes |title=This Island |others=Le Tigre |year=2004 |publisher=Universal Records }}

}}