By Allison Davis.
Today you are encouraged to join in a communal task — giving one woman an orgasm. Over the course of an hour, the lucky participant is streamed on video while people all over the world, including you, use remotely controlled sex toys to lend a virtual helping hand. Swathed in pink latex, she’ll tell you how close you are — and how close she is. (You’ll probably know when she’s there, although we suspect she’ll tell you just the same.) This isn’t the premise of a sci-fi porno: It’s a multimedia art performance dubbed the Global Orgasm Project. Created by Maia Marinelli and E. Conrad, it’s a study in the Internet’s role in abstracting relationships and the body as well as an exploration of social networking and, well, sex. It’s part of the fourth year of Arse Elektronika, a series of talks and workshops focusing on the intersection of technology, sex, and spaces — be they physical structures, cyberspace(s), or cultural interactions. Today’s events (collectively called “Screw It Yourself”) include a discussion on how to create blue-movie masterpieces (10 Ways We Can Fix Porn) and a demonstration of wearable erotic electronics. Feeling curious? Let’s talk about it, techie.