From technology dominatrixes to the future of dildos, PC Erotic is here to help us swing into the future
Magazines have long been vehicles for the sexual revolution. From 1970s feminists who turned to titles like Spare Rib to reclaim their sexuality by publishing stories of female masturbation and the enigmatic female orgasm for the first time, to the fetishists who immortalised the PVC laced, sweat oozing reality of the global fetish world in print epics like London’s Skin Two. Now, the zine as an art form turns to the minds of modern-day sexual futurists trying to grasp a new kind of sexual evolution characterised by the intersection of sex and technology, using the magazine to posture questions such as: will technology fuck us, or we will fuck technology?
For artist, model, and editor Iris Luz, it’s this question that drives her artistry and leads her newly released Ditto publication, PC Erotic: a trash-tastic and satirical, yet wildly investigative take on the future of sex that celebrates and attempts to understand the complex issues raised by human sexuality and technology. Issue One of PC Erotic, released today, hosts features that largely open the scope of what sex is and how it will unfold in the face of our technological future.
“The idea of mixing technology and sexuality for PC Erotic”, explains Luz, ”came about because at the time of the first creating the concept there were a lot of controversies surrounding the internet and sexuality. We’re at a very odd point in society where we’re facing a whole new realm of ideas and concepts thanks to technology, but we have no idea how to approach them or lead a coherent discussion about them without instilling fear (Black Mirror and your paranoid aunt on Facebook aren’t helping). Media frenzies like the back page censorship debate or the face app scandal got me thinking about how this is a time for us to reflect morally on where we stand because whether you like it or not, technology now more than ever is a physical extension of ourselves. Additionally, I’ve always been obsessed with the idea of the ‘ideal woman’ and beauty as power (whatever concept of beauty that is).”
Digital sex artist Maria Forque graces Issue One’s first cover, appearing as a genderless, extra-limbed airbrushed alien shot by emerging photographer Viktor Naumovski. Forque is usually found putting out work via her Instagram, that once included a photo series of used underwear, a visual manifesto on the damaging effects of Instagram censorship on nudity, and earlier this year she released an ASMR trance DJ set aimed at combining music, sex, and mediation to create a new sensory experience.
“I’m fascinated by Maria’s online presence and her exploration of the ego,” reflects Luz. “Through her work she shows the magnitude and importance of social media in perceived power and representation, and shows an alternative view of beauty that refutes and rebels against any expectations people have put on her. Her nudity as an artist speaks to me as I feel that the final frontier for people and social media is their body, and navigating the intense politics surrounding it. To me, Maria’s identity and nudity symbolise a total liberation from limiting human morality and embrace unconditional self-love, which is a rebellion in itself.” All in all, Forque’s existence as an artist standing between sex and technology made her a perfect fit for PC Erotic’s first cover.
Within PC Erotic’s pages lives a mix of satirical ‘sexy news time’, opinion pieces, and how to guides from technological dominatrixes all doused in an incredibly designed fusion of cyber meets trashy, fluoro Y2K porn mag.
“My favourite article is a toss-up between Romina Montserrat’s Bimbofication spreads and the interview with Mistress Harley. Romina is one of the most interesting people I’ve ever come across and her approach to her art is unlike any I’ve ever seen before. I adore the “bimbofication” sub-culture and process, as I feel it signifies a very current rebellion against our expectations as to what a woman should be and the over politicisation of our daily lives. Mistress Harley simply because she is an icon (the first Tech Domme!) and one of the first that understood the inherent emotional presence of technology in our lives (something some people still don’t understand today). She has so much wisdom to give and I wanted to give her a fitting and safe platform to speak her mind, as prior to me, I felt her ideas were mostly sensationalised and not seen for the grand advancements that they are, in mainstream media (watch her ‘The Doctors’ interview on Youtube).
Satire is PC Erotic’s key in setting it apart from other either overly political, or overtly sexualised porn mags. “The idea came from a mix of shows and magazines we liked, and wanted to explore a specific time in British humour, where you could be political and still be funny. Shows like Brass Eye, Nighty Night or websites like TV Go Home all shaped this idea of this satirical platform with a strong message.” Take one of the issue’s leading features Porn Riot! which is a satirical editorial on a fictional porn riot in Canada that features ‘saucy singles and busty pornstars’ taking a stand against the use of prosthesis-enhanced pornstars, such as “Motorized Glutes (AKA buttcheeks) that vibrate to give added sensation and visual stimulation to the partner.” While the feature is fictional, its intentional satire addresses real issues faced by porn stars in the face of rising technology.
One of the most notable things about PC Erotic is that it hosts a cyber-fied version of the same trashy design of early Y2K porn mags, but this isn’t without reason. Commanding the space of traditional men’s magazines as a woman, and infiltrating it with topics around liberal and queer sex, Luz’s eclectic mix of satire and politics celebrates what contemporary sexual liberation means while being a beautiful ode to the magazines of the sexual revolution’s past, bringing to the forefront a publication we all need if we are to navigate the future of sex and tech.
PC Erotic launches on November 2 at Arcola Street Studio, you can find out more here. You can buy a copy of PC Erotic here
