On Saturday, I fell down the rabbit hole and landed in a wonderland of sex and glamor: Exxxotica 2009 - the 'largest adult event on the east coast', according to exxxoticamiami.com. It was my first time attending and it was surreal to see the faces and bodies of porn in 3D. In some instances, the 'actors and actresses' were much more attractive in person and, at other times, I couldn't believe how unattractive they were! It made me realize the amazing ability a camera has to alter reality; the careful and manipulative play of illusion.The event was smaller than I thought it would be. I imagined a giant circus of porn. But instead I saw a medium sized crowd and about twenty booths selling DVDs or other assorted paraphernalia. The best booth, by far, belonged to Digital Playground, which featured porn superstars Jesse Jane, Sasha Gray, Stoya and others signing autographs and taking pictures with fans.
Though I had a great time and definitely plan to go next year, I felt the event was a little disorganized. There were a number of 'free' seminars advertised on the event's Web site that I completely forgot about because I didn't know where to find them. There were no signs pointing where to go. Later, I realized that the seminars were on the far right of room, which was completely separated from the rest of the event.
Also, when you buy tickets, you have the option of either paying 35 dollars for general admission or 65 dollars for 'VIP'. If you plan to go next year, don't waste your money on VIP! The ONLY difference between the two prices is that you can buy alcoholic beverages in the VIP area, which is a small room with half naked girls dancing in the dark. With general admission, you see half-naked girls dancing in the light.
All in all, I had fun and was able to take some interesting pictures, so to speak. I decided to record my first porn convention experience in sepia:
The lovely Sasha Gray
AND THEN...some people were just standing outside...I guess no one ever taught them how to have a good time...
Pornography...I can spend almost as much time wrestling with my relationship to it as I do simply watching it. Is it sublimation or a debasement? Art or artifice?
ReplyDeleteDoes it matter, after all it gets the job done. One gets hard or moist. One takes the journey and it ends in fruition.
It brings pleasure, like music or dance. Do I question my motivation behind enjoying Joan La Barbara or Twyla Tharp the same way I question a Sasha Grey induced erection. Not at all.
But once upon a time a woman once smiled, took my hand and said "hurt me please, it will make it more exciting" and I recoiled in horror (or was it excitement). How Victorian of me, how fin de siècle.
And how beautiful is Ms. Grey accepting whole the gift of some unholy, worldy sinner (who would not wish to be such a man) into her body.