Orgasm Ping-Pong is the sport no one asked for

Thomas McMullan Read more May 3, 2016

Imagine the

orgasm scene in When Harry Met Sally, if it was performed in an art gallery, by a table. That will give you an impression of Awkward Game – an installation by US artist Daniel Barreto that involves a game of Ping-Pong and a load of breathy exaltations.

Barreto’s project is made up of a Ping-Pong table, with sensors connected up to speakers using the Max/MSP programming language. Every time the ball hits the surface of the table, an orgasm happens.

“Two contact microphones are connected to each side of the table sending and input signal to Max/MSP,” Barreto told Vice’s The Creators Project. “I programmed Max to scan from a list of several orgasms listed from soft to hard. As you play more the noises will become more intense.”

Building in intensity puts a certain onus on the players not to drop the ball, as it were. It also means that the longer you play, the more awkward the whole experience becomes. There’s a great contrast in watching two straight-faced players concentrate on a public game of Ping-Pong, while the sounds of sex ring through the air.

Does it make sex seem like a rule-based game? Or does it make a rule-based game seem sexy? Whatever the case, it’s brilliantly awkward. You can check out more of Daniel Barreto’s work here.