Grants and residencies

Research and art

An artistic exploration on radical intimacy and queer feminist film aesthetics and production methods

Application summary

This is an artistic exploration into the possibility space of sexually explicit movie aesthetics and production methods based on enthusiastic consent. Our project started after the screening of very diverse porn films curated by Vex Ashley at Wonderlust Festival Helsinki in 2016. We instantly felt drawn to combine our experience in cinema, costume design, media-, and performance art to explore the form of sexually explicit material in our work. With every film we made we learned something new, making the shooting safer and more comfortable for everyone involved. And with every film, we found new questions and directions for our artistic research. We will focus on three main areas: production methods (how to change our production methods to prioritise human connection & safety), aesthetics/performance (how does our existing practice change when working with explicit sexuality), and themes (eco-sexuality, post-gender, radical vulnerability, effortless consent & safety, liberation from the false dichotomy of "norm" vs "other"). Phase 1: We explore our research questions alone and regularly meet & collaborate with other artists from Finland & abroad by organising screenings and workshops. Phase 2: We will organise one 10 day experimental filmmaking retreat, and produce several short films. The porn industry's aesthetics today stand as a monopolistic fiction that constructs and influences our sexualities. We are de-constructing their legacy, but not by trying to comment on their fiction or trying to replace it with something more "realistic". We are flooding it with fierce artistic expressions of other sexualities–creating a diversity of fictions to challenge their monopoly.

In 2022-2023, the project undertook the exploration of sexuality and consent within film, setting a new standard for ethical practices in the industry. The process began with a residency in Porvoo in January 2022, followed by online meetings and another residency in Iceland in June, where internal dynamics led to an informal decision to split the project.

By late 2022, a new team was formed, focusing on organizing Sparx Camp with Euphoria Borealis RY as a partner organization. The retreat, named Sparx Camp, took place in September, culminating in a successful exhibition and screening at SÄIE in November 2023.

Participants experienced significant personal and professional growth, highlighting the project's impact on promoting open exploration of intimate themes. Challenges such as COVID-19 and internal conflicts necessitated a pivot to remote collaboration, with strategic adjustments ensuring the project's continuation. Support from the Kone Foundation was crucial in this regard.

Outcomes included a photo exhibition, six screenings, a 43-minute documentary about Sparx Camp, and an exhibition book, contributing to the discourse on queer feminist film aesthetics and the importance of ethical artistic creation.

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