Performance art takes on a more literal meaning this weekend in San Francisco as Spy Emerson, an Oakland-based artist, tests a social experiment called The Hook-up Truck.
Participants who want to have sex-on-wheels for an hour can rent the truck and avail themselves of its special features, including safe-sex supplies, temperature controls, and the option to record their session.
But there's no bedding. “There’s a bench and a handle, like a bar you hold on to. It’s designed to keep clean, so we just wipe everything down. I have bleach and this green stuff, I have disinfective wipes. I guarantee that this is cleaner than BART or any public bathroom that anyone has used recently,” the artist told TIME.
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Emerson got her idea for the sex-mobile after hearing stories about her Grindr-using friend having sex in driveways and behind cars. And, even though its inception was based on the need for spontaneous casual-sex activities, she notes that even single mothers to husbands and wives looking for a surprise anniversary gift are signing up for her service.
Though it's free this weekend, Emerson plans on taking her act to other cities, where she'll then charge $75 for 30 minutes or $2,500 for a five-hour party rental. She also encourages users to take before, during, and after photos of their sessions, which she plans on showcasing at this year's Art Basel.
After all, nothing screams intimacy quite like an unmarked box truck. (Time)