The Pornographic Universe: Celebration or extinction of desire?

To accompany the exhibition BODYPOLITICX, Studium Generale (Erasmus University Rotterdam) is organizing, in cooperation with Witte de With, an evening-long program, where porn and especially the ‘pornofication of our culture’ become transparent and open for discussion.

Porn has carved its way into mainstream society: look at the millions of porn sites on the Internet, billboards of naked ladies on the streets, the increasing number of breast implantations and even vaginal ‘corrections’. Does this mean the wet dream of the porn lover has become reality? Are we living in a PORNOGRAPHIC UNIVERSE, a world where sex is access unlimited? Or is it an omen of the moral bankruptcy of our culture – where sexuality degenerates into an erotic boredom and desire eventually extinguishes?

With: prof. Jos de Mul (Erasmus University Rotterdam, winner of the Socrates Prize 2003 with the book Cyberspace Odyssey), Judith Visser(writer of the award-winning novel Tegengif [Antidote] and soon to be released novel Tinseltown), Rob van Gerwen, PhD (University of Utrecht), Florian Waldvogel (curator of Witte de With), Dylan van Rijsbergen (Historian, Internet publicist and co-founder of the left-liberal think tank Waterland). Moderator: Allard Schellens (Program maker Megastad FM).

Entrance free; limited seats.
Note: restricted to visitors 18 years or older.
For more information on the program and speakers:www2.eur.nl/studium, or contact Niels van Poecke, +31(0)10-4082818, vanpoecke [​at​] oos.eur.nl.

Program:
7:30 p.m. Doors open
8:00 p.m. Column by Dylan van Rijsbergen
8:15 p.m. Word of welcome
8:20 p.m. Word on BODYPOLITICX by Florian Waldvogel
8:30 p.m. Tour through the exhibition
9:30 p.m. Debate. With: Jos de Mul, Judith Visser, Rob van Gerwen. Moderator: Allard Schellens
10:45 p.m. Drinks