/ Halle at Berghain, Berlin : 2024 /
/ Sandstone 3d-print lacquered : concrete /
Eggplants
Dick pics on Grindr are typically sent in form of close-ups and as a sequence. Their aesthetics are poor and the pictures are characterized by embracing their own mediocrity. It is uncertain if the object depicted in the scenes is actually from the sender or if it has been diverted from elsewhere. It’s as if these dicks have a life of their own, detached from the physical body, 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 begins to exist in separation 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 dick pics. Each image is digitally modified and translated into an individual 3D shape. 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.
“Eggplants” is a sculpture series and part of the broader research project “Use My Name Only”. The project explores the dynamics of digital and physical gay cruising spaces, conceptualizing them as potential landscapes for negotiating (queer) masculinity, with a specific focus on the perspective of trans-masc individuals.
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.