Work

Ufficio della Notte

Pleasure – the sharing of joy – affects and connects people. Although certain practices, especially those that conform to non-normative, queer, non-monogamous and non-binary lives, have always been marginalised, criminalised or at least ignored by the institutions of power. Nevertheless the figures of the night have broken the limits of society’s decency. What still remains are questions: Where and how do we talk about pleasure? Which spaces are claimed and by whom? Are safe(r) spaces only dreams of a hidden utopia? To which extent do institutions determine what is sexually allowed/not allowed? And what does all this have to do with care work? In search of answers, Ufficio della Notte presented works by Berlin Strippers Collective, Gilles Smrkovsky, Philipp Gufler, Benjamin Egger, Oz Oderbolz, Latefa Wiersch, Florian Hetz, Dario Callerame, Jeanne Jacob, Alina Kopytsa, SLOCH, Göksu Kunak and DIVAS that were shown in six different art spaces and clubs as well as in public spaces (Last Tango, Parat, Limmatplatz, Unterführung Langstrasse, Die Diele, Baby Angel, BosqueRreal, Rote Fabrik). The exhibition, curated by neo seefried and Marcel Hörler, took place from 23rd September to 15th of October 2022 in Zurich and was combined with walks, a pleasure positive party and a panel on the topic of Sexwork.

Göksu Kunak, Niche I: Landscape, 2022. Photo: Sabina Bösch

DIVAS, TOUCHING (IS ELECTRIC), 2019/2022. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Berlin Strippers Collective (Ivy & Maxine), Red light to daylight, 2022. Photo: Johanna Hullár

Oz Oderbolz, untitled or I stole my father's belt, 2022. Photo: Oz Oderbolz

Latefa Wiersch, Unterführung/Subway, 2022. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Gilles Smrkovsky, Collective Desire, 2020. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Benjamin Egger, And Then We Touch, 2021/2022. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Benjamin Egger, And Then We Touch, 2021/2022. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Philipp Gufler, Lana Kaiser, 2020. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Philipp Gufler, Quilt #36 (Der Kreis), 2020. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Dario Callerame, Growing Witness II, 2021. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Jeanne Jacob, Falling in Love, 2022. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Jeanne Jacob, Les Adelphes, 2022. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Florian Hetz, SPECIES, 2022. Photo: Livio Baumgartner

Alina Kopytsa, From Zurich with love, 2021. Photo: Sabina Bösch

Sexwork is Work! Photo: Johanna Hullár

Exhibition Walks mit neo seefried. Photo: Sabina Bösch