American artist (1947–2022)
Cynthia Plaster Caster
Cynthia Plaster Caster in 2002, holding a cast of
Jimi Hendrix 's penis.
Born Cynthia Dorothy Albritton
(1947-05-24 ) May 24, 1947Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Died April 21, 2022(2022-04-21) (aged 74)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 pseudonymCynthia Plaster Caster , was an American visual artist and self-described "recoveringgroupie " who gained fame for creatingplaster casts of celebrities'erect penises . Albritton began her career in 1968 by casting penises of rock musicians. She later expanded her subjects to includefilmmakers and other types of artists, eventually amassing a collection of over 70 plaster penises. In 2000, she began casting female artists'breasts .
Albritton was born inChicago .[ 1] [ 2] free love androck music subcultures. Albritton studied at theUniversity of Illinois Chicago .[ 1] [ 3] lifecast of an erectpenis , which would then become flaccid and exit the mold.[ 4] alginate . She stated that her hobby of casting penises began as a "schtick to get laid" but she soon began to enjoy the aspect of collecting, and she began to see it as art.[ 5] Jimi Hendrix as her first celebrity cast.[ 6]
Albritton's plaster cast ofJimi Hendrix 's penis on display at theIcelandic 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 apatron of Albritton and moved her to Los Angeles. In 1971, after her apartment was burgled, Zappa and Albritton entrusted her casts toHerb 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.[ 7] [ 7] [ 8] [ 9] [ 7] [ 10]
In 2009, Albritton won the Rob Pruitt Award at the first annual Guggenheim Art Awards, held at theSolomon R. Guggenheim Museum .[ 11] mayor of Chicago in the2011 election on the "Hard Party" ticket.[ 2] [ 12] cerebrovascular disease at a care facility in Chicago on April 21, 2022, at the age of 74.[ 1] Jimi Hendrix 's erect penis to theIcelandic Phallological Museum inReykjavík .[ 6] Kinsey Institute atIndiana University acquired a collection of her works, including casts, drawings, prints, diaries, and the suitcase she used to transport casting materials and tools.[ 10]
Albritton's life has served as inspiration for multiple pieces of media, such asGood Girls Revolt The Banger Sisters [ 13] Drive-Away Dolls [ 14] [ 15] Plaster Caster [ 16] BBC Three documentaryMy Penis and I , made by British filmmaker Lawrence Barraclough about his anxiety over hispenis size .[ 7] [ 17]
She inspired the songs "Five Short Minutes " byJim Croce [ 18] Plaster Caster " byKiss .[ 7] Momus song "The Penis Song "[ 18] Le Tigre song "Nanny Nanny Boo Boo".[ 19] Permanent Damage The GTOs .[ 7]
Source: [ 20]
0002 Joel Coplon (February 16, 1968), friend 0003 Al Hernandez (February 18, 1968), friend 0004Jimi Hendrix (February 25, 1968), guitarist –The Jimi Hendrix Experience 0005Noel Redding (March 30, 1968), bass player –The Jimi Hendrix Experience 0006 Don Ogilvie (May 5, 1968), road manager –Mandala 0007Bob Pridden (August 1, 1968), road manager and engineer –The Who 0008Eric Burdon (September 3, 1969), singer –The Animals (mold failure, no cast) 0009Richard Cole (November 26, 1968), tour manager –Led Zeppelin 0010Dennis Thompson (February 26, 1969), drummer –MC5 0011Wayne Kramer (February 26, 1969), guitarist –MC5 0012Frank Cook (March 31, 1969), drummer –Pacific Gas & Electric 0013Fritz Richmond (May 12, 1969), washtub bass player –Jim Kweskin Jug Band 0014 Michael Vestey (May 30, 1969), record producer 0015Bob Grant (June 5, 1969), conservative radio host 0016Anthony Newley (June 7, 1969), singer/songwriter 0017 Danay West (June 11, 1969), manager –Iron Butterfly (never returned by Cohen) 0018Eddie Brigati (June 23, 1969), singer –The Rascals 0019 Barry Bono (June 23, 1969), road manager –The Rascals (never returned by Cohen) 0020Harvey Mandel (July 10, 1969), guitarist 0021Lee Mallory (July 22, 1969), singer/songwriter 0022Doug Dillard (July 27, 1969), banjo player –The Dillards (mold failure, no cast) 0023 John Barr (July 30, 1969), bass player – The Churls 0024Tony Stevens (September 7, 1969), bass player –Foghat ,Savoy Brown (never returned by Cohen) 0025Keef Hartley (September 8, 1969), drummer – Keef Hartley Band, others (mold failure, no cast) 0026 Keith Webb (September 9, 1969), drummer –Terry Reid 0027Bob Henrit (April 30, 1970), drummer –Argent ,The Kinks 0028Zal Yanovsky (July 14, 1970), singer/guitarist –The Lovin' Spoonful 0032Aynsley Dunbar (September 30, 1970), drummer –The Mothers of Invention ,Journey , others 0033Ricky Fataar (October 28, 1971), drummer –Beach Boys ,Bonnie Raitt ,The Rutles 0034Smutty 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 0037Shane Eason (January 22, 1982), drummer –Loverboy 0038Mary Byker (Ian Garfield Hoxley) (April 16, 1988), singer –Gaye Bykers on Acid 0039Jon Langford (June 29, 1988), singer/guitarist –The Mekons ,The Three Johns 0040Chris Connelly (September 8, 1988), singer –Revolting Cocks ,Ministry 0043 Clint Poppie (Clint Mansell ) (September 30, 1989) singer –Pop Will Eat Itself 0044 Terryll Loffler (June 30, 1990), filmmaker 0045Brian St. Clair (February 19, 1991), drummer – Rights of the Accused,Triple Fast Action ,Local H 0047Jello Biafra (Eric Reed Boucher) (April 29, 1991), singer –Dead Kennedys 0048Pete Shelley (Peter McNeish) (November 10, 1991), singer/songwriter/guitarist –Buzzcocks (mold failure, no cast) 0049 Bart Flores (August 8, 1993), drummer –Wreck ,Pigface 0050 Ronnie Barnett (August 9, 1993) bass player –The Muffs 0051Richard Lloyd (May 11, 1994), guitarist –Television ,Matthew Sweet 0052Mike Diana (March 3, 1995), cartoonist 0054Martin Atkins (February 21, 1996), drummer –Public Image Limited ,Killing Joke ,Pigface ,Ministry ,Nine Inch Nails 0057 Russ Forster (September 29, 1997), filmmaker, fanzine writer, label owner Underdog Records, multi-instrumentalist with Spongetunnel, engineer forScreeching Weasel 0060Momus (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 0069David Yow (August 6, 2000), actor, singer/bassist –The Jesus Lizard ,Scratch Acid 0071Bobby Conn (Jeffrey Stafford) (January 18, 2001), singer/songwriter/guitarist 0073 Lawrence Barraclough (September 26, 2004), filmmaker (ofMy Penis and I ) 0074 Lawrence Barraclough (September 26, 2004), filmmaker 0075Ariel Pink (Ariel Marcus Rosenberg) (February 19, 2006), singer/songwriter 0077 Lias Kaci Saoudi (March 20, 2014), singer –Fat White Family 00001Suzi Gardner (May 28, 2000), singer/guitarist –L7 00002Suzi 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 ofBobby Conn 00008 Monica BouBou (January 18, 2001), singer/violinist – Wife ofBobby Conn 00009Lætitia Sadier (January 28, 2001), singer/keyboardist –Stereolab 00010Lætitia Sadier (January 28, 2001), singer/keyboardist –Stereolab 00011Peaches (Merrill Beth Nisker) (May 9, 2001), singer 00012Peaches (Merrill Beth Nisker) (May 9, 2001), singer 00013Sally Timms (May 30, 2001), singer –The Mekons 00014Sally Timms (May 30, 2001), singer –The Mekons 00023Stephanie Barber (February 9, 2002), artist 00024Stephanie Barber (February 9, 2002), artist 00027Karen O (Karen Lee Orzolek) (May 1, 2003), singer –Yeah Yeah Yeahs 00028Karen 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 ^a b c Genzlinger, Neil (April 28, 2022)."Cynthia Albritton, 74, the Michelangelo Of Immortalizing Male Rockers' Genitals" The New York Times Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. RetrievedApril 30, 2022 . ^a b "Cynthia Plaster Caster runs for Chicago mayor" .Chicago Tribune . October 31, 2010. RetrievedAugust 24, 2025 .^ Hutchinson, Kate (April 25, 2022)."Cynthia Plaster Caster: the artist whose rock star penis sculptures asked big questions about manhood" .The Guardian . ^ Serena, Katie (November 1, 2017)."Meet The Groupie Who Made Plaster Casts Out Of Rock Music's Most Famous Penises" .All That's Interesting . RetrievedAugust 24, 2025 . ^ "Cynthia Plaster Caster: Art with staying power" .Salon . Archived fromthe original on November 22, 2007.^a b Koe, Crystal (May 25, 2022)."Plaster Cast of Jimi Hendrix's Penis to be Unveiled at Iceland's Phallological Museum: All in the name of Phallology" .Guitar.com Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. RetrievedJune 3, 2022 . ^a b c d e f Aswad, Jem (April 21, 2022)."Cynthia Albritton, a.k.a. Cynthia Plaster Caster, Artist and 'Recovering Groupie,' Dies at 74" .Variety . RetrievedNovember 10, 2024 . ^ Philips, Chuck (April 13, 1993)."Plaster Caster Lawsuit Set for Court Wednesday" .Los Angeles Times . RetrievedJanuary 7, 2014 . ^ Wallechinsky, David; Amy D. Wallace; Ira Basen; Jane Farrow (2006).The book of lists: the original compendium of curious information 355– 356.ISBN 9780307366177 ^a b "Kinsey Institute Announces Cynthia Plaster Caster Collection" .Kinsey Institute ^ Rosenberg, Karen (October 30, 2009)."Art Awards and Irony at the Guggenheim" .ArtsBeat . RetrievedNovember 11, 2024 . ^ "Q&A; With Mayoral Candidate Cynthia Plaster Caster" .chicagoreader.com . Archived fromthe original on September 24, 2011.^ Jasmine, Lucretia Tye (May 23, 2022)."Cynthia Plaster Caster, Super Artist and SuperGroupie! May 24, 1947 – April 21, 2022" .The LA Beat . RetrievedNovember 10, 2024 . ^ Saperstein, Pat (February 23, 2024)."Who Was Cynthia Plaster Caster, Who Inspired Miley Cyrus' Character in Ethan Coen's 'Drive Away Dolls'?" .Variety .Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. RetrievedNovember 10, 2024 . ^ Miller, Jenni (February 24, 2024)."Miley Cyrus 'Drive-Away Dolls' cameo explained" .Mashable . RetrievedNovember 11, 2024 . ^ Camper, Fred (October 26, 1985)."Plaster Caster" .Chicago Reader . RetrievedNovember 11, 2024 . ^ "Has your penis been short-changed?" .Metro . October 3, 2007. RetrievedJuly 27, 2015 .^a b Jones, Abby (April 21, 2022)."R.I.P. Cynthia "Plaster Caster" Albritton" .Consequence . RetrievedNovember 10, 2024 . ^ Natawan, Grace Ann (April 21, 2022)."Cynthia Albritton, Known As Cynthia Plaster Caster, Dies At 74" .Spin . RetrievedApril 21, 2022 . ^ "home" .cynthiaplastercaster.com . Archived fromthe original on December 16, 2001.
International National Artists
