Chris Phillips and Raquel Fedato are the co-founders of Pornceptual — “an art project that wants to de-contextualise pornography in its usual sense and show that an explicit sexual content can be considered art”.
Pornceptual is not only eroding the the taboos around pornography: the images and video it showcases seduce us into exploring a more positive, liberated and inclusive approach to sex, intimacy and erotica. As a platform for alternative views and visuals of sexuality, race, identity and gender, this online gallery is not just a crucible of titillating artistry but a stimulating socio-political playground too.
Q > Is work personal to you? Do you keep your work separate from your personal life?
RF > Although many people claim that work should not be personal, the emotional connection I have to my job is what pushes me to feel inspired and engaged. I would even go as far and say that Pornceptual reflects a certain extent of mine and Chris’ core values. As for the separation between private and professional life, this is a very grey area, especially when working with something that is considered entertainment.
CP > Before it became work, Pornceptual started as a personal project. Since the beginning, it has been a significant project for me because it was a way for me to express my own sexuality creatively. It was, and it’s still, very personal. On the other hand, it’s also important to keep it separated somehow because otherwise, work can consume your entire life and time. So I also set some boundaries now in terms of what I do for myself and what I do for work.
Q > What’s the most satisfying part of the project/movement (and why)?
RF > As an event organiser, I work hard for that one amazing moment during a party: the moment we look at what we have accomplished, and we know it was worth it. For me, there is no bigger satisfaction. Besides that, hearing from people about their positive experiences and how we create a space in which they can explore their sexuality is also something that makes me proud of our work.
CP > Our mission is to make people more open-minded about sex and to question the stigma related to porn. It’s very rewarding whenever we receive feedback from people telling us how Pornceptual has helped them feel freer to explore their sexuality or more comfortable with their own bodies.
Q > Who / what inspires you? Does where you live affect your work and creativity?
RF > Berlin’s subversive counter-culture and the community around Pornceptual. The city we live in definitely plays a major role in what we do and how things creatively unfold within the project. Berlin is, for me, indisputably one of the most vibrant and inspirational cities I have ever lived in.
CP > The people around me and my very creative friends are my main source of inspiration. Living in Berlin is stimulating because there is such an active art community with a very collaborative approach. So it’s always inspiring to meet new people and invite them to create something together.
Q > Opening conversations around taboos — where would you start? Which topics should we be discussing more?
RF > If I am starting a conversation around a sensitive topic, I am usually very straightforward and address the issue right away to avoid any kind of discomfort. Sexuality-related topics still make people highly uncomfortable, so we should certainly be discussing them more.
CP > Taboos are often related to ignorance and prejudice. A lot of people still think that working with sex or anything porn related is repulsive. And fearing some sexual taboos can make some people repress their sexuality for their entire lives. Sexual desires and fetishes should be a more open discussion because acknowledging them promotes a more healthy and honest relationship with/between ourselves.
Q > Tell us a story you refuse to forget.
RF > One of the first times we had a party outside of Europe, right after we landed, Chris and I were taken by the promoter to visit the location where the party was going to take place. It was only then that we found out that he was the janitor of the building and that the actual owner of the warehouse had no idea that he was organising raves there.
CP > My first naked photoshoot is still very fresh in my mind. I was shooting a friend naked in the woods and I was shaking the whole time in a mix of excitement and anxiety. For someone that grew up in a very religious and conservative background, the experience was totally liberating. I could finally accept that I was fascinated by the naked body and that this had to be one of the central elements of my work as an artist.
Q > Something few people know about you?
RF > If you browse through my Facebook feed, all you will find are dogs. I spend way too much time watching dog videos on the Internet. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I am currently working on a strategy to convince my partner to adopt a dog.
CP > Sometimes, I sleepwalk. It doesn’t happen very often, but my partner is kind of used to it right now although he was quite confused the first times it happened.
Q > What do you think drives our desire to consume and create porn?
RF > The desire to create a personal connection through common interest and intimacy.
CP > We aim to remove the stigma associated with porn. Even though a lot of people consume porn, it’s still seen as something shameful or as a regretful career. But porn can be an art form — allowing people to express themselves through it — or a very intimate form of interaction and communication.
Q > How is creativity and technology causing porn to evolve?
CP > It has been quickly changing pornography because it facilitates the production and distribution of sexual content. This puts people in control of their own porn because it’s now very easy for them to shoot themselves and to share online (or privately) the material with whoever they want. So instead of being restricted to usual porn channels, it has become a way more diverse media with a lot of new tools, devices and various voices. But there is still a lot of censorship online, especially on social media platforms
Q > From your isolationporn.com project, what insights have emerged about our sexual and erotic lives during the time of quarantine?
RF > As part of the Isolation PORN project, we invited our audience to fill out an anonymous form about their sexual practices during the quarantine. We received an enormous amount of answers and had someone from our team analysing this data. Soon, we will publish illustrations that reflect the tendencies that we have observed in this experiment.
CP > Isolation has had a very dissimilar effect on people. While a lot of people were feeling hornier and bored at home, engaging in various forms of virtual sex, others were feeling very anxious and lonely. It has been a difficult time for most, especially because missing physical contact with others/social interaction can be very challenging, even for people who were isolating together with other people. But it was also inspiring to do such a project and see people taking this time to produce creative art and to keep expressing their sexuality in different ways, despite social distancing.
Chris Phillips was born in Brazil and is currently based in Berlin, Germany. In addition to being co-founder of Pornceptual, he is an accomplished photographer and is also one of the minds behind WHOLE, an electronic music camping festival which features a cross-section of Berlin’s queer scene and beyond, where self-expression is paramount.
Raquel Fedato was born and raised in São Paulo, Brazil, and lives in Berlin. With a strong background on events and administration, she previously worked for SoundCloud and Airbnb. Through Pornceptual she combines her three deepest passions: art, parties and management.
