Sexual Display from the Abyss: Octopuses between Heteronormativy and Exorbitance

In relation to the visual perception of sea animals’ sexualities, Benedetta Panisson worked on Sexual Display from the Abyss: Octopuses between Heterormativity and Exorbitance (2022), presented at the 11th European Feminist Research Conference, sharing in this occasion the complete and unpublished 1993 footage, thanks to the collaboration with WHOI, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The resulting paper has been published in Matter Journal: Situating research on art, technological practices and literature (Vol. 7, 2023). The research focuses on a footage recorded in 1993 by WHOI at 2500m depth. It is the first visual experience of sexual activity between abyssal octopuses in their oceanic habitat: they are two males of two different species. This paper aims to analyze the gendered, affective, and moral structures that have produced texts and voice-offs in relation to this visuality, letting emerge how a transcultural, feminist, queer, and artistic gaze can lead to a reparative stance, beyond a replicated heteronormativity perceived as threatening, towards a more relaxed intimacy with animal sexualities, including a hybrid sense of eroticism that accompanies the human attraction for visual sexualities.

Here the complete paper on Matter Journal, Vol. 7: https://revistes.ub.edu/index.php/matter/article/view/42245/39307

Technical Details
Panel + academic publication + 15 minutes betamax video footage by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Exhibitions/Panels/Publications
Sexual Display from the Abyss: Octopuses between Heteronormativity and Exorbitance published on Matter Journal, Vol. 7 (2023): Situating research on art, technological practices and literature; the panel has been presented at the 11th European Feminist Research Conference, organized by AtGender (NL) and Milano-Bicocca University, 2022.

Courtesy of Richard Lutz, Rutgers U./NSF/DSV Alvin/1993 © Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Felice di essere artista in residenza @casadegliartisti_art e onorata di avere con me come special guest Lorenzo Bernini @quellodelsessualepolitico

Vi aspettiamo venerdì 18 aprile alle 18.45, alla Casa degli Artisti, Corso Garibaldi, 89/A, Milano

SEXUAL DISPLAY FROM THE ABYSS

Benedetta Panisson, artista residente presso Casa degli Artisti, insieme a Lorenzo Bernini, una delle più autorevoli voci del dibattito queer italiano, racconteranno, in un dialogo informale e aperto con il pubblico, un video del 1993 realizzato da WHOI (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute), in cui due polpi maschi e di due specie diverse compiono un atto sessuale nell’abisso oceanico. Il portato estetico e la storia queer di questa visualità, tra censure e interpretazioni oggi re-immaginabili, lasceranno emergere, dall’abisso, quanto la sessualità, anche quella animale, sia un complesso costrutto umano. Il video sarà parte della futura mostra presso Casa degli Artisti.

Un grazie speciale a @susannaravelli @giuliarestifo__ e a tutto il team di Casa degli Artisti

https://www.casadegliartisti.org/evento/sexual-display-from-the-abyss/