Pxrnpics

"Pxrnpics" constitutes a long-term artistic inquiry that unfolds at the intersection between pornography, visual culture, and contemporary sexuality. Initiated in 2013 with a series of prints that engage with classical iconography—particularly with Sandro Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus"—the project has undergone a conceptual and aesthetic metamorphosis over the course of a decade.

In its early stages, the work focused on the figure of porn actress Krystal Boyd, known as "Anjelica," and manifested in a series of prints and paintings that explored the aesthetics of desire and sexuality. These initial forays established an intertextual dialogue with the artistic canon, subverting and recontextualizing masterpieces of classical art within the framework of contemporary pornography.

With the artist's relocation to Mexico City in 2016, the project experienced a transition to new media and formats. Adapting to a smaller studio space, the work diversified to include letter-sized drawings that employ lines reminiscent of topographic maps to outline the contours of bodies. These works, titled with the names of pornographic videos, challenge the Eurocentric and patriarchal aesthetic that predominates in contemporary pornography.

In its most recent phase, "Pxrnpics" has evolved into a deeper reflection on the technological mediation of sexuality and desire. The latest works, such as "Screenshot 202302021931 (YJ)," incorporate third-party participation, inviting them to share their favorite videos. This gesture expands the scope of the project to include a multiplicity of perspectives and experiences and underscores the collaborative and dialogic nature of the work.

Most significantly, the project has reached a turning point where painting becomes a distant medium, similar to the relationship between an internet user and a video on screen. In this sense, "Pxrnpics" transcends mere technical reproduction to become a space for introspection and critical questioning. The work invites the viewer to explore the inherent tension between immediate visual arousal and critical reflection, questioning how technology and digital mediation shape our understanding and experience of sexuality in the contemporary era.

Stereotypes of Intimacy

The research around "Pxrnpics" stands as a visual and conceptual dialogue with the figure of Krystal Boyd, also known in the pornographic realm as "Anjelica." This choice is not random; it represents a deliberate incursion into the complexity of sexual representation and cultural iconography. The series was inaugurated with an edition of 10 engravings that, although derived from pornography, subtly evoke classical aesthetics, specifically Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus." This act of juxtaposition creates a space of tension between the sacred and the profane, the classical and the contemporary, the public and the intimate.

In a bold maneuver of self-reflection, the series also included a polyptych composed of traces of semen on paper, a corporeal record of the artist's masturbation induced by videos of the same actress. This act, far from being a mere provocation, becomes a statement on the materiality of desire and corporeality in the digital age. The piece, now part of Ruben Ojeda Guzmán's Precariat Collection, sits at the intersection between the biographical and the political, the personal and the cultural.

The series with Krystal Boyd not only sets the tone and theme for future iterations of "Pxrnpics," but it also raises fundamental questions about the aesthetics of desire and the ethics of representation in a world saturated with images. In doing so, the project becomes a microcosm of the dilemmas and tensions that inform the project as a whole.

"Anjelica" (2013) Woodcut, ed. 10/10 100 x 70 cm

Cartographies of Intimacy

In 2016, "Pxrnpics" adapted to a smaller studio in Mexico City, switching the canvas for letter-sized paper drawings. The titles—“oral,” “peace yourself,” “self-touching,” “Threesome”—are straightforward, taken from the videos that inspired the works. The lines, similar to topographical maps, outline bodily contours and challenge social media censorship. These drawings are not mere representations, but critical commentaries on the aesthetics and ethics of sexual representation in the digital age. This period marks a refinement in the visual and conceptual language of "Pxrnpics," raising questions about the intersection of technology, sexuality, and culture.

Economy of Intimacy

Between 2018 and 2021, "Pxrnpics" underwent significant evolution, marked by the adoption of titles that reflect the view count of the source videos, such as “6,816,316 views” or “1.4M views.” This choice of nomenclature highlights the attention economy in which these images operate, underscoring their popularity and, by extension, their cultural impact.

The technique also transformed: painting now becomes a pixel mosaic, a strategy that challenges censorship while inviting deeper interpretation. These works, along with the earlier "Screenshots," signal a shift toward more critical reflection on technological mediation in our perception and experience of sexuality.

The series turns into a commentary on the duality of visibility and invisibility, questioning not only what we see but also how we see it, and what it means in a broader context of image consumption and identity construction.

"Holed I" (2018). Oil and encaustic on panel, 60 x 35 cm

Coordinates of Intimacy

In this new stage of the "Pxrnpics" project, the artwork dematerializes and reconfigures into digital formats, such as photographic prints and pixelated videos. The titles, marked by time codes and personal allusions, become coordinates on an emotional and cultural map. Pixelation, once a symbol of censorship, now stands as an aesthetic that invites contemplation and questioning.

The inclusion of initials in the titles, such as "(YJ)," adds a layer of intimacy and specificity, challenging the inherent objectification in pornography and visual culture at large. This shift towards the personal and specific marks an evolution in "Pxrnpics," which now not only represents but also interrogates the complexities of intimacy, technology, and representation in our digital age.

“Grabación de pantalla 202302021931 (YJ)” (2023). VideoHD 16-9, 61s

Submit your pxrn here.

In this new stage of 'Pxrnpics,' the work transcends mere observation to become an open and collaborative dialogue. I invite people to share their favorite or personal video productions, which I then interpret through the lens of pixelation. This gesture not only broadens the scope of the project, but it also turns it into a space for co-creation and shared reflection. By incorporating the perspectives and experiences of others, the work becomes enriched and serves as a broader commentary on the complexity of intimacy and representation in the digital age. This is a call to engage in a larger conversation about how technology and digital mediation are reshaping our emotional and sexual lives.

Texts about the project.

 

COPY / PASTE

By Ricardo Milla (Esp).

Desmontar la mirada

By Daniel Escamilla (Esp).

A propósito de DSC8278 (Del Origen del mundo a la imagen pixelada)

By Miguel Casco (Esp).