EROTICANDY

A Speculative Food & Future Exploration

2016 | KEA Copenhagen, BA in Communication Design

EROTICANDY is a critical and speculative food design project that explores the future of edible pleasure, intimacy, and sensory technology through the lenses of food, culture, and innovation. By merging 3D scanning and printing with confectionery design, the project challenges conventional notions of consumption, desire, and embodiment, speculating on how technology could reshape our relationship with food and eroticism in the coming decades.

Concept & Inspiration:

The project takes inspiration from Rebecca Kling, a transgender activist who used 3D scanning and printing to create edible replicas of her body to raise funds for her gender-affirming surgery. Her story served as a catalyst for deeper inquiries into the intersections of food, identity, sex, and technology—how can eating become an act of intimacy, self-expression, or even political discourse?

Candy and sex share a deeply intertwined cultural history—both associated with pleasure, indulgence, and reward, yet also tied to guilt, sin, and addiction. From a chemical perspective, both sugar and sex trigger the release of dopamine and oxytocin, reinforcing patterns of desire, satisfaction, and dependency. This led me to explore how future food technologies might further blur the boundaries between eroticism and consumption, transforming candy from a simple pleasure into a personalized, sensorial, and provocative experience.

Process & Speculative Framework:

Research & Narrative Development:
- Analyzed the semiotics of candy and eroticism, tracing historical, psychological, and cultural connections.
- Investigated emerging food-tech trends, particularly in 3D food printing, personalized confections, and edible body replicas.
- Explored the role of food in gender identity, activism, and personal expression, inspired by Kling’s story.
Media & Communication Design:
- Developed a trend article (2016) titled Yes, Eating Intimate Parts is a Thing!, published as a food and sex industry analysis examining the rise of 3D-printed erotic edibles.
- Designed speculative future food scenarios for 2026 and 2036, imagining the role of technology, intimacy, and sensory engagement in evolving food experiences.
Future Food Speculations:
- 2026 – "Scan, Print, Eat": A conceptual forecast of personalized 3D-printed edible body parts, transforming candy into a medium for self-expression, intimacy, and even political statement.
- 2036 – "Taste by Touch": A sensory skin patch that delivers flavors and pleasure through skin absorption, eliminating the need for eating altogether and shifting pleasure into a bodily, haptic experience.
- Speculated on the future of the edible industry, considering how ethical food production, sustainability, and personal expression might merge with eroticism and technological advancements.

Outcome & Reflection:

EROTICANDY is a provocative, research-driven exploration that challenges traditional perceptions of food as nourishment, transforming it into a medium for sensory exploration, self-representation, and cultural critique. The project raises critical questions about how technology, intimacy, and consumption might evolve together, offering a glimpse into a future where food is no longer just about sustenance but also about interaction, identity, and pleasure.

By pushing the boundaries of food design and speculative storytelling, EROTICANDY acts as a thought experiment, inviting discussion on how emerging food technologies might redefine pleasure, intimacy, and the act of eating itself.