Un_Real Desires

About

Un_Real Desires, taking place October 22-27th 2019 at SomoS Art House in Berlin, presents performative projects, ephemeral installations, painting, sculpture, video-art, interactive works, durational art pieces and other art forms. It is part of a recurring exhibition series, dedicated to exploring the mediatization of sexuality and its effects.

Does it matter if what you desire is real or not? Filters, Photoshop, animation, VR, sex robots, deepfakes, the representation of the eroticized body is moving further and further away from reality. Increasingly, the object of desire is not only obscure, but distorted and hidden by more and more layers of artifice: the disembodiment of the erotic seems immanent. Conversely, the constant barrage of societal and medial incentives and influences might render the impetus for desire itself questionable. Was this really what I wanted?

The exhibition explores the growing influence of technology on the way that erotica is consumed and produced. It looks at the psychological, philosophical, societal, ethical, aesthetic effects of virtualization and idealization. What happens to the portrayal of the quirky and in-between, if everything can be made to look perfect? And how do we consequently view our less than perfect selves? The "Un_Real Desires" exhibition traces the implications. Does it matter, and do we care?

Participating Artists

Azim F. Becker / Ana Brumat / Paul Piccione / Iria do Castelo & Ramses Salas / Amir Chasson / Francesca Fini / Pshemek Kamiński / Anastasia Manole / Laura Papachristos & Kristina Apostolou (Vaginal Arts Ensemble) / Miriam Poletti / Rocha & Polse / Marcel Schwittlick / Janka Smetanina / Pei-Chi Wu / Mu Zhang