This isn't a Sex Pic
Residency at Aspex Portsmouth
13th October - 23rd December 2023
Art can act as a portal for dialogue, opening space for diverse perspectives. During this artist residency, I explored personal narratives around sexual health through a series of community-led workshops inspired by Sophie Calle’s Prends soin de toi. Drawing on my own health experiences, I proposed a programme of participatory activities using photography, copper wire sculpture, voice recordings, and creative writing to co-create a collective body of intimate, playful, and reflective outcomes.
The sessions engaged local individuals, families, teachers, health workers, and artists—many of whom shared personal stories in a safe, creative space. This reaffirmed my belief in art as both a form of self-care and a powerful tool for sharing knowledge and lived experience. Writer and artist Anna Barzotti led creative writing workshops, producing haikus, posters, and headlines rooted in participants' memories.
This project would not have been possible without the generous support of Aspex Portsmouth, equipment from the University of Portsmouth, and the contributions of Ricardo Reveron Blanco, Evagelia Hagikalfa, Anna Barzotti, and Eddie Stenström.
"When I’m feeling bad, I tend to tell everyone about it. I see art in the same way: the first gesture is therapeutic, then the work takes its place and becomes the sole driving force"
Sophie Calle
Showcase Contributors
Teigan Newman, Andy Newman, Marie-Eve Roesner, B. Smith, Z. Smith, Emily Stroud, Rosina Godwin, Kim Jones, Jane Griffin, Matt Smith, Caroline Broadbent, Pete Jarvis, Nusye McComish, Nina H., Catherine Teeling, Sharon Stevens, Mia Stevens, Alima Balgabekuva, Livia Isor, Jane Shepherd, Laura Simpson, Veronika Taora, Tomas Kubovcik, Harry Hender, Daniel Blades, Ryan Antcliffe, Rachel Jones, Harrison Jones, Aimee Leake, Tulika Pandey, Vera Hadzhiyska, Alla Bogdanovic, Agnes Lork, Ellie Burnside, Megan West, Jonathan Baggaley, Sam Foot, Billie Rae Cawte, Ethan Bennett.