by William Dean
(2/7/01)
"...one thing is for sure, that is that we have sex in our country."
--Olga Rogozina
from the article, "Red and black are still erotic colors"
in the newspaper "Smena"
Where most of us live, the fabled White Nights of St. Petersburg seem a myth. Russia is far away. A strange and curious mix of Old Europe and Old Asia flows down the city's river, and people -- tourists and locals alike -- pause to gaze down from the famous bridges.
It's a setting for romance in the Old World style. But until recently, potential lovers didn't linger, for fear of prison or worse. Lovers were sex criminals to the state, and erotic Russia was held prisoner. It took heroism just to be sexy.
A few years ago, however, a different kind of revolution moved across Russia. One that was as irresistible as the caress of a beautiful lover -- an erotica revolution. When the White Nights next come to St. Petersburg, so will the Fourth International exhibition, Erotica 2001, which takes place from the 1st to the 4th of June.
St. Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia, the historic Russian trade gateway, opened to both East and West. The population of the city is about 5 million people now. Since the times of Peter the Great, who was the founder of the city, it has been oriented towards Western countries, which makes it the most European city in Russia. After long periods of repressive deadlock, it is only natural that St. Petersburg hosts the yearly Erotica Expo.
"We present soft erotica with a thrust into the most sensual world of a human being," says Olga Gramagina, NTA-Expo's Director for
Erotica 2001. "Traditionally we host three sections: industrial, artistic, and show-program. Since the topic of the exhibition is new to Russia, we are interested in getting more knowledge and experience from similar events in other countries."
"Until recently the subject of erotica was not developed enough in Russia," Olga continues. "Now, the recent erotic exhibitions prove there is a dramatic demand for articles of an erotic nature. The new exploring and sensual mentality of our Russian people is creating a growing interest for erotic goods and services."
The exhibition program is wide-ranging, perhaps even a little confusing. There are symposiums on exhibition topics, seminars and presentations by exhibiting companies, fashion shows, body art, erotic massages, contests and other spectacles. Even St. Petersburg's best and most elite restaurants and clubs will present daring erotic performances.
The combination of the artistic and the more commercial sections at the exhibition generates an almost electrical charge between the hard-core pay per users and the drifty post-orgasmic daze of the true believer. Can you imagine yourself amid some 20,000 mostly Russians in the unique atmosphere of the Erotica Expo?
Of course, it's not all Russia's show. The industrial part of the exhibition will feature hi-tech gear from INVERMA from Germany, as well as the best-known erotica companies from the Netherlands, Poland, France, and Italy. The four-day Expo sports an ambitious whirl of activity covering everything imaginable, including: Mass-Media, Printing Production, Magazines, Posters, Books, Video Production, Photos, Painting, Graphics, Design, Articles of Erotic Nature (Exclusive Clothes, Latex and Leather, Exclusive Shoes, Lingerie, Perfume and Make-up, Aphrodisiacs, Jewelry and Precious Stones), Erotic Interior Design, Erotic Furniture, Erotic Dishes, Medicine, Medical Centers, Vacations, Restaurants, Bars and Night clubs, Sex shops, Computer games, Erotic toys and souvenirs.
The Russians are so thorough, even some of the jaded Westerners may learn a new trick or two at the incredible expanse of seminar topics they have listed:
1. Sexual education as an element of general culture in the countries of the Far East (Japan and China).
2. The problems of contemporary sexology.
3. Using of sex-productions in case of disturbance of women's orgasm.
4. Using of sex-production in practice of sexologists in the centre for sexological and family consulting.
5. Using of sex-production in practical activity of gynecologists of the city sexological centre.
6. Sexual-tonics as a means for improving sexual activity.
7. Erotica in family life.
8. Erotic massage. Its historical roots and practical using.
9. The role of dentistry in the creation of erotic style.
10. Manufacturing and realisation of erotic underwear.
11. Erotic language of flowers.
12. Erotic health resorts of Greece and Jamaica.
13. Peculiarities of erotic dishes.
14. Organisation of sexual medical centers activity.
Frankly, I never even thought of the "role of dentistry in the creation of erotic style" before.
"The sex-industry in Russia is not really developed yet. The production of erotic items is only now acquiring a steady pace. Nevertheless, companies from many Russian cities -- like Moscow, Ekaterinburg, Rostov-na-Donu, Nizhniy Novgorod, and also from neighboring countries such as Belorussia and the Baltic States -- are creating erotic goods of high quality," Olga states.
Long live this revolution.
