"READY is an honest portrait of contemporary queer sex work emerging out of my own relationship to it."
Artist: Vincent Wechselberger
Project: Ready
"This series offers a window into our reality – the elation and self-actualization, as well as the struggles and stigma we experience.
It is about the act of getting ready. Shower, hair, makeup, music, prayer – as sex workers, how do we prepare for the charged moment of sexual encounter? While these simple acts of getting ready may seem mundane, the personal choices reveal something profound about each of us – our vulnerabilities, our hopes, and our joys.
When I was 18, I first received an offer for ‘taschengeld’ online – ‘pocket money’ for sexual services. Soon after, I moved to Berlin and immersed myself in a new world of dates and clients, many of whom became regulars. Through sex work, I experienced new forms of freedom. I reinvented myself. I let go of preconceived societal notions about how I should live my life. A central aim of this series is to re-frame how we think about sex work, and more importantly the marginalized individuals. who chose to do it. Although I recognize my own more privileged entry to the world of sex work, I nonetheless want to challenge the notion that queer and femme sex workers are always forced into their line of work. While this may be true for some, sex work is also an act of empowerment granting people financial autonomy and new experiences. By spotlighting subjects’ individuality and agency, I hope to destigmatize their lived experiences and counteract public discrimination of sex work.
"READY is a project based in trust and community-building. Initially starting with those close to me in Berlin, I later connected with fellow sex workers around the world with the goal of celebrating a diverse group of individuals who, despite radical differences in cultural, economic and legal contexts, share common stories and challenges. With the special help of my dear friends Alice and Nalin, I was given the. chance to meet and take portraits of several incredible people in Mexico and Thailand. In the end, I photographed 32 subjects across six cities – Berlin, Mexico City, Bangkok, London, Vienna and New York. I want to thank each and everyone featured for trusting me as I recorded some of their most vulnerable moments and memories.
READY does not represent the complete story of queer sex workers, but rather offers kaleidoscopic glimpses into the contemporary reality of it – an ongoing story about my friends, the many beautiful people who have been introduced to me over the last two years, and ultimately myself."
Ecaterina Rusu : Trust and community-building are vital elements of "READY." How did you build and maintain trust with your subjects, and how did these relationships shape the authenticity and depth of the portraits you created?
Vincent Wechselberger : A significant factor of my ability to create this project is because I am an insider. A lot of people I photographed trusted me due to our shared professional background, they know I understand where they are coming from.
Since I have been working in the industry for a long time, I already knew some people. Many of the individuals I photographed are long-time friends. Others were introduced to me by friends who trusted me. Sometimes it was an unpaid encounter because they believed in the project. Although most of the time, I also offered money to show respect and appreciation for their time, so it was a transaction like with a client, where trust existed within the agreement.
ER : Photographing subjects across different cities and cultures must have brought unique perspectives to the project. How did the diverse settings of Berlin, Mexico City, Bangkok, and others influence the narratives within your series?
VW : Celebrating a diverse group of people was important to me. The different stories and individuals come from various cultural, economic, and legal contexts. What struck me the most, however, is that we share many stories, challenges and are confronted with the same things. That's why the concept of "getting ready" was so important to me, as there are so few differences between Bangkok, Berlin, or Mexico City. Douching, putting on makeup, doing hair, listening to music, meditating, or praying. We all need to get ready to meet a client, It's the same everywhere.
ER : The act of "getting ready" is central to your series. How did you choose to visually represent these intimate moments, and what do they reveal about the vulnerabilities and strengths of the individuals you photographed?
VW : I think personal items humanize a person, make them more vulnerable, but you can also see that the subjects come prepared, ready to defend themselves. I have created a still life of the items that they carry in their pockets or bags when they see a client, almost from every person. This way, I captured what they usually need before and during work. From makeup, beautiful underwear, and drugs, to condoms, knives, and snacks. You can see the self-determination, but also insecurities, the dedication, but also self-defense. The desire and the addiction. You immerse yourself a little in the world of the subjects, empathize more with their life situation, and learn to understand.
It always felt like hanging out with good friends, never like real work. By working on an equal footing and ensuring that we have a really good time, I believe that I was able to create this depth in the portraits.
© Vincent Wechselberger
Editor : Ecaterina Rusu