Four Chambers, a sex positive erotic film production house by performance artist and filmmaker Vex Ashley, has created a new digital initiative titled VENUS APEX. The project is an online repository where Ashley compiles books, films, photographs and other resources on the topic of sexuality in today’s digital age. These are all materials that have come to shape Four Chambers in carrying out its mission to provide inclusive, artistic and high quality tools to help people’s exploration of their sexuality.
Ashley describes VENUS APEX as a personal space, a “visual diary, a sketchbook, a test log, an archive.” The project itself was born from Ashley’s observation on how the internet and social media platforms tend to homogenize & censor matters of sexuality. Hence, there is a need for an online space where anyone can have access to quality and safe sexuality education and exploration. This is why VENUS APEX by Four Chambers is relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Quality Education and Good Health And Well-Being.
In a study published on the American National Library of Medicine (NLM), internet regulations expert Jillian York breaks down the different reasons for internet censorship and restrictions of sexuality content. These are categorized into three main reasons, being: government requested takedowns, market related decisions and internal company policies largely affected by what its employees deem to be within moral high grounds. The study also went to outline that what this has caused is an internet where people are not able to discern what is accurate and reliable and what is not when it comes to sexuality education. Hence, a need for projects such as VENUS APEX by Four Chambers.
VENUS APEX by Four Chambers offers a much-needed digital space for the exploration and education of sexuality in an era of increasing online censorship. By curating a diverse archive of films, books, and visual materials, Vex Ashley challenges the homogenization of sexuality discourse on the internet, ensuring that people have access to inclusive, high-quality resources. The project not only fosters artistic expression but also highlights the importance of safe, informed and unrestricted conversations around sexuality in the digital age.
Find out more about VENUS APEX by Four Chambers and their other initiatives on their website www.afourchamberedheart.com or Instagram @fourchambers.