I Saw the Future of Sex Dolls and Butt Plugs at Germany's Largest Sex Convention

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I Saw the Future of Sex Dolls and Butt Plugs at Germany's Largest Sex Convention

With more than 20,000 visitors and 400 exhibitions, shops, and fetish performances, Berlin's VENUS International Erotic Trade Fair is one of the biggest events of its kind.

With more than 20,000 visitors and 400 exhibitions, shops, and fetish performances, Berlin's VENUS International Erotic Trade Fair is one of the biggest events of its kind. Since 1997, the annual expo has been presenting trends and innovations from the erotic sector, and last weekend marked VENUS's 20th anniversary.

Producers and wholesalers presented their latest products—including a multitude of silicone sex dolls and latex fashion pieces—while the public was invited to participate in workshops and virtual-reality sex demos, as well as interact with a multitude of porn stars signing autographs and taking photos with fans. Passersby even had the opportunity to join in on the various strip shows and erotic performances going on in what felt like every corner of the space.

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Prostitution has been legal in Germany since 2002, and the sex industry is a noticeable aspect of people's lives, whether it's business or not. I explored the VENUS community in this context, taking portraits of visitors, models, actors, performers, and exhibitors.

Some of the below photos are very NSFW. You have been warned.

All photographs by Martina Cirese. You can follow her work here.