SUMO: FANTASY FINERY
Inspired by Westworld and sophisticated sexual technologies powered by AI‚ Fantasy Finery widens the borders of pleasure, develops intimate relationships and sets your desires within digisexuality.
Westworld (TV series) – In a futuristic Western-themed amusement park, Westworld, the visitors interact with automatons. However, all hell breaks loose when the robots begin malfunctioning. (google.com)
AI (pronounced AYE-EYE) – AI or artificial intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines, especially computer systems. (exploreai.org/p/ai-definition)
Fantasy – A pleasant situation or event that you think about and that you want to happen, especially one that is unlikely to happen. (collinsdictionary.com)
Pleasure – A broad class of mental states that humans and other conscious animals experience as positive, enjoyable, or worth seeking. It includes more specific mental states such as happiness, entertainment, enjoyment, ecstasy and euphoria. (wikipedia.org) The exhibition was sponsored by the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Prague, Dr. Christoph Israng.
Intimate relationship – An interpersonal relationship that involves physical or emotional intimacy. (wikipedia.org)
Desire – To want something, especially strongly. (dictionary.cambridge.org)
Digisexuality – The use of advanced technologies in sex and relationships, and in the narrower sense, is used in reference to people whose sexual identity is shaped by what we call second-wave sexual technologies. (nerdist.com/article/digisexuality-tech-over-people/)
Vanessa Conte creates drawings and paintings capturing women’s bodies which have been exposed to violent situations and often subjected to attacks from other women or men. Despite these drastic depictions of violence, the image’s narrative is interrupted by a strong sense of exaggeration and the futility of punishment. Her comics depicting erotic scenes osscilate between sexual attraction and condemnation. The viewer’s attitude and the debate between masculine and female points of view are also crucial components of the work itself.
Vanessa Conte (born 1977, Yonkers) lives and works in Glendale, USA.
Yong Xiang Li is concerned with painting and its overlap into other areas such as object and installation, video and music. In his work, he is concerned with elements of oriental culture which the artist mixes with experiences in Europe and questions someone growing up against the backdrop of the contemporary world may have.
Yong Xiang Li (born 1987, China) lives and works in Frankfurt.
Mel Odom established himself in the 1970’s with Art Deco style illustrations. These illustrations appeared in a wide variety of publications such as Time, Omni, the New York Times or Rolling Stone. For many years he also created erotically themed fantasy drawings for Playboy, Blue Boy and Viva magazines. These drawings correspond to the work he did in his free time as well. Throughout the 1980’s he created a number of book covers and received several awards for his work. In 1991 Odom designed the Gene Marshall doll, featuring the sensual glamor of the Film Noir era. After being launched in 1996, the Gene Marshall doll became highly prized among collectors.
Mel Odom (born 1957, Richmond) lives and works in New York, USA.
Emma Pryde is a multimedia artist who places emphasis on handmade work and a DIY aesthetic. Her objects, jewelry, digital collage and videos reflect the sinister side of the digital age and her own memories of growing up alongside the internet. Cuteness, infantility and naivety mix with hints of criticism towards such fantasizing while suggesting insight and the possibility of early disappointments.
Emma Pryde (born 1991, Madison) lives and works in Madison, USA.