Ever wanted to explore cruising in public spaces without have to step in the puddles of piss yourself? Well, a new exhibition based in Berlin, gives audiences a glimpse inside the cubicle.
Fenster zum Klo: Public Toilets, Private Affairs, shares a series of candid and gritty photos by photographer Marc Martin at Schwules Museum.
Marc informs his audience of his own first-hand experiences having sex in public toilets: “These places, where men were constantly coming and going, were instrumental in my sexuality, aroused my desires and quenched my curiosity,” Martin writes. “In there, I also had the most unlikely, unexpected encounters.”
He goes on to say that although these kind of rendevous’ are more of a “shame” than ‘pride’ to gay culture, that he considers them ‘sites of unbridled freedom’.
“Despite being disparaged as sleazy and dirty, they allowed for immediate, anonymous sexual contacts. They were a godsend to those who could not entertain at home and expose their sexual proclivities to the outside world.”
Dr. Kevin Clarke, a spokesperson for the museum, spoke to Gay Star News, about why they chose to display the artwork:
“The necessity of gay men to ’hide’ and meet in ’secret’ places such as parks and public toilets is an important aspect of gay history.”
Started from the cottaging, now we here.
“So it’s important for us, as a museum, to present this topic with as much background as possible, for a younger generation accustomed to Grindr and other apps to understand how homosexual men organized their sex life decades ago”, he goes on, “but also to make clear the incredible dangers they faced from police, criminals and blackmailers.”