2018
4 weeks
solo
Discuss, discover, experiment: what really is your cup of tea? Sexualitea is a unique experience where discussing sexuality meets afternoon tea.
The purpose of Sexualitea is to encourage communication about people's sexuality through the use of physical prompts and food. It can be tailored to suit couples, groups of friends or even people who prefer to engage with strangers. The prototype presented here is the couples edition, which emphasises intimacy, privacy and consent.
"It's hard to find out what can be fun, what you can enjoy."
Interviewee #1
"It's one thing to talk about it, it's another thing to try it"
Interviewee #2
"The less you talk about it, the less your friends will ask"
Interviewee #3
"You don't have to be into hardcore stuff to be into rubber or leather, you can easily wear it and enjoy the feeling of it without being into bondage"
Kink & Fetish Specialist Vendor
"People need to take their time and figure out what they want and why they want it"
Kink & Fetish Specialist Vendor
The visual world of Sexualitea is inspired by kink and fetish, i.e. the use of props, accessories and role play to increase intimacy between partners. Latex replaces all the fabrics and leather harnesses adorn all the objects on the table. These materials are usually described as very enjoyable by those who actually wear them, yet because of the way they are associated with more 'hardcore' practices, most people tend to keep away from them. Sexualitea allows people to start interacting with these sensual materials, by making them more accessible.
Participants can engage even more with the topic of sexuality through the food that they are served: a three-course dessert meal, which subtly represents different aspects of sexuality. The plates are designed to be interactive, so customers can decide for themselves how they want to consume them.
Beyond Sexualitea, the research output of this project leads to a wider concept, which is about how a design language can tie relationships between meaning and form. In the world of kink and fetish, the aesthetics of objects communicate very clearly the tastes and intentions of people. How can we reproduce this exceptional ability of design language in a non-sexual context? Can we create new design languages to communicate more contemporary representations of identity?
© Pierre Azalbert 2020