From jg at monochrom.at Sun Oct 11 12:27:19 2026
From: jg at monochrom.at (J. Grenzfurthner [Das Ende der Nahrungskette])
Date: Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:27:19 +0200
Subject: [rohrpost] Arse Elektronika: International festival of sexuality,
technology, art and politics in Athens, October 15-18
Message-ID: <20261011102811.EB9913345741@mail.monochrom.at>
ARSE ELEKTRONIKA 2026: EXCESS DENIED
International festival of sexuality, technology,
art and politics in Athens, October 15-18
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ATHENS, October 15-18, 2026
www.monochrom.at/arse-elektronika/
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Arse Elektronika is a leading international
festival exploring the intersections of sexuality
and technology. Founded by the Vienna-based art
group monochrom in 2007, it has brought together
artists, researchers, hackers and performers for almost two decades.
What happens to sexuality and desire when
platforms, payment processors, algorithms and AI
systems decide what may be seen, sold, shared or even imagined?
From October 15-18, monochrom brings ARSE
ELEKTRONIKA to Athens for four days of art,
talks, workshops and performances under the title "EXCESS DENIED".
The Athens edition brings together artists,
researchers and performers from Greece, Austria,
Slovakia, Estonia, Canada and the United States.
"EXCESS DENIED" focuses on a world in which
sexual expression is increasingly shaped by
technological and corporate infrastructure:
platform policies, content moderation, payment
processors, age verification and AI systems.
The programme ranges from research on the
deplatforming of pornographic videogames and
digital sex work to AI-mediated intimacy, queer
embodiment, interactive sex technology and algorithmic censorship.
Among the participants are Canadian game studies
researcher Jean Ketterling, Tallinn-based
researcher and filmmaker Anna Ivanova, Brooklyn
artist and inventor Eric Singer, University of
Colorado documentary scholar Eric Coombs Esmail,
Slovak game scholar Michal Kabát, artist and
educator Maya Magnat, and numerous artists and
performers from Greece and Austria.
The exhibition includes interactive and
experimental works such as Eric Singer's
"StimSuit", a wearable haptic interface; Rica
Fuentes Martinez' "Tell me, what am I to you?",
an interactive crocheted clitoris connected to an
AI system; Hidéo SNES' "Algorithmic Brushworks";
and Sabrina Verhage's "Whisper Protocol", which
explores intimacy and desire through artificial intelligence.
The festival opens on Thursday, October 15 at HGW
std. The exhibition is open from 17:00, with the
official opening at 19:00, an introduction to
Arse Elektronika by head curator and monochrom
co-founder Johannes Grenzfurthner, and the
presentation of the new Arse Elektronika reader "Plug & Play".
On Friday, workshops take place at Suzie Q. On
Saturday, Romantso hosts the main conference
programme with talks and performances. The
exhibition at HGW std. continues through Sunday.
ARSE ELEKTRONIKA 2026: EXCESS DENIED
October 15-18, 2026
HGW std. - Mavromichali 138
Suzie Q - Skopelou 22-24 / corner Spetson
Romantso - Anaxagora 3-5
Full programme, biographies and abstracts:
www.monochrom.at/arse-elektronika/
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Festival Director: Johannes Grenzfurthner
Chief Curators: Jasmin Hagendorfer and Günther Friesinger
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Press images, information and interview requests:
Johannes Grenzfurthner / monochrom
jg at monochrom.at