[rohrpost] Arse Elektronika: International festival of sexuality, technology, art and politics in Athens, October 15-18

[J. Grenzfurthner [Das Ende der Nahrungskette]]

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
<http://www.monochrom.at/arse-elektronika/>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:
<http://www.monochrom.at/arse-elektronika/>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