/ Berlin : 2023 /
/ latex : metal : pla : assorted lubricants /
“Use My Name Only” is a research project that started with the support of the Berlin Senat in 2023. The research focuses on collective and personal experiences, particularly as I navigate spaces predominantly reserved for gay cis-men during my transitioning process. It is presented through a series of short excerpts, touching upon different aspects. Each chapter is being translated into a collection of sculptures and a sound experience, serving as artistic expressions.
Ceremonial Matter
The essence that sustains the Grindr ritual is fluid - warm, soft, semi-transparent substances that amplifiy our performances. Whether sweat, spit, sperm, the water we use to douche, the lube, or substances like G, poppers, testogel and steroids, these fluids are in constant circulation, undergoing transformations in our bodies and facilitating intimate exchanges.
A collection of designed fountains spilling various lubricants visualizes the distinctive qualities of these fluids. The interplay of movement, reflections and different viscosities evokes associations. By placing the fountain object, charged with symbolic meanings such as purity, in a different context and replacing water with liquids used in sexual practices, the meaning is redefined.
Eggplants
Typically explicit images (for example: dick pics) on Grindr are sent in form of close-ups and as a sequence. Their aesthetics are poor and the pictures are characterized by embracing their own mediocrity. They consume our data bandwidth as they circulate in this digital network. It is uncertain if the object depicted in the scenes is actually from the sender or if it is been diverted from elsewhere. It’s as if these dicks have a life of their own, existing purely as objects, moving through the digital space in search of a fleeting moment of attention on someone’s screen, hopeful of a positive reaction before moving on. The dick gradually detaches itself from its source. It progressively materializes its own alienation until it ultimately transforms into the shape of an eggplant emoji.
Over time, I have created a private database of unsolicited explicit images. These images are transformed using a script and converted into individual 3D shapes. Carefully selected pieces are then materialized through 3D printing and cast in latex - a material often associated with safer sex or BDSM practices. Each sculpture created in this way has its own characteristics and yet cannot be traced back to its original source. The sheer quantity of these sculptures ensures their collective anonymity and challenges the original sense of individuality associated with sharing explicit images.
