At first sight, pornography and domesticity belong to separate domains. While pornography is related to the frenzy of visibility, or more accurate, an hyper-visibility, domestic remains in the shadow. Domesticity seems to be maintained by a constant but silent battle against entropy, the tendency of things to go to disorder, and it is only visible when it fails. Sex, the main topic (or at least its star) in pornography is divorced from reproduction, being a family issue into domestic space. However, these areas interact more than they would like to admit. Most of the time, pornography is consumed into domestic space; reversely, pornography is often about domesticity. A fictional one, or maybe an hyper-domesticity, but constantly alluded in settings and thematics. Pornography, then, comes in a way from domesticity and returns to it, like something that could not be separated. But what happens there? As Michel de Certeau asked: what do they make of what they “absorb,” receive, and pay for? What do they do with it?1 This work tries to present that question as a series of exercises, not pretending to answer it but to investigate that common area, without leaving that intersection. Domestic Porn is a real fiction, an exploration at the point of intersection between domestic space and pornography. It is an attempt to show the physical presence of pornography and its incorporation into domestic space.
I chose three different ways of exploration:
1. Pornography into domestic space
What happens when a camera is introduced in the everyday life? Perhaps this new consciousness transforms a peaceful housewife into a porn star. How is the backstage of sexual intercourse? Could it still be pornographic? Is just the intrusive presence of the camera a pornographic act?
2. Domestic space in a pornographic way
This aspect is concerned with the hyper-visualization of domestic space, its representation beyond reality. When is it necessary to force angles and actions to make them more visible or revealing their hidden content. Here appears the word ‘obscene’, literally, out of scene, commonly associated to pornography. Could domestic work be an obscene thing?
3. Semiotics of the bedroom
Loosely based on Martha Rosler’s “Semiotics of the Kitchen”, I tried to dissect sexual intercourse into different actions with no arousal intention. Is it still pornographic? Or is it the dissection the real pornographic act?
Although I learned from these exercises, I’m still intrigued. Is pornography a subproduct of domestic space or just tries to looks like one? Is it a right or an obligation? These exercises try to be the beginning of an answer. Or of more questions.
1 de Certeau, Michel. “‘Making Do’: Users and Tactics”. In The Practice of Everyday Life.
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