B+S: Blood and sperm

In September 2009 Ädellab is organizing a seminar similar to our previous international events "Identity" 2005, "Hungrig" 2006 and "FLAGS" 2007. We have invited international artists and scientists to perform at Konstfack University responding to the chosen theme. The students of Ädellab will participate in B+S as well as students from other European Art schools and professional artists.

The theme:
"Blood and sperm" - journalism is a slang term from the yellow press indicating the character of a story. By creating bizarre and outrageous headlines the newspaper is drawing the viewer's attention to the article.
"Blood and sperm" journalism is a particular form of sensationalistic and spectacular reporting that feeds upon the gruesome and shocking in life: Sex and crime sprinkled with emotions and exaggerations. The proper term is "sensationalism" and it is a manner of being extremely controversial, loud, or attention grabbing. It is especially applied to the emphasis of the unusual or atypical.

“Blood and sperm” journalism feeds on the phenomenon of cultural voyeurism. Even if it seems like this phenomenon has arisen through our media dominated society parallels can be made to the Roman gladiator fights or similar events throughout history. In the seminar B+S we will investigate the phenomenon of cultural voyeurism and to what extend it is to be seen as a part of human nature. We will also discuss how sensationalism can be used as a tool in contemporary art, and finally, we hope with B+S to make a comment upon our over-sexed and sensation mongering society.

Ruudt Peters and Karen Pontoppidan