A discussion with Sergio Messina (it), Karla Grundick (de) and Julianne Pierce (uk)

Moderated by Gabriella Coleman (us)

Since the 1990s, some experiences in the queer and activist scene showed how to transfer an experimental hacker and DIY attitude from technology to the body and to the broader concept of sexuality. The hacker ideas of sharing, openness, and the hands-on imperative all became a challenge to imagine a different kind of sexuality – and pornography – beyond rigid dichotomies and patriarchal structures. With the increasing use of social media and chan boards, the reflection of sexuality and the experimentation on pornography is entering progressively into the realms of abstraction: bodies become fetishes, identity is objectified into an anonymous “sign”, and the interaction via machines is the tool of desire. However, DIY porn is becoming an aesthetics and practice open to everyone rather than a field of study among specialists – or a successful niche market within the porn business. Digital amateur porn disrupts social codes to unpredictable effects.

Restricted to adults above 18 years.

(Image: Courtesy of Karla Grundick and Mistress Koyo)