One man’s art is another man’s “yick!” A person by the screen name “oralpixation” is staging an online “happening” for April Fool’s Day by asking “What’s in your mouth?” Those interested in answering that question are encouraged to upload a picture of their mastication habits to Flickr on Saturday.

According to the homepage and the MySpace blog, oralpixation was conceived in Geneva, named in Austin, and lives in New York City. Well, he did say this was a “global” event.

The invitation reads as follows:

"this is a global internet event. for 24 hours on 1 april 2006, we want you to take a picture of everything you put in your mouth. we do not care what goes in, just take a picture. we know you kids are good and will keep things decent."

Link bait, publicity stunt, April Fool’s joke, or art? The commissioner of the event calls it a “happening,” or a staged artistic event, and an “online flashmob,” and insists that it is no joke.

Of course, if he’s seriously expecting people to “keep things decent,” the joke may be on him. An invitation to exhibit the inhabitant of a person’s mouth seems like an unequivocal porn invitation. Or maybe it’s erotica. Or maybe that will be the point.

Either way, it’s conflictingly gross and intriguing.

If you're one that can’t keep his mouth shut, you can contribute to the event by uploading your pictures through this public Flickr account.

Update: Interview with Oral Pixation

http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/to...lPixation.html

Oral, or "oP," as he refers to himself, answers in the esoteric, riddling fashion you would expect of a modern technological artist - anonymously cryptic, dropping one carelessly into his mind in medias res.

Oral gives us at least some concept of who he is (or perhaps a reflective accomplice) through a picture of an open mouth, decently cared for choppers, some freckles, and what appears to be an orange wad of chewing gum.

But what's the point?

"Love. Love of an idea. Love of a concept. Love of lips. Love of dentistry. Love of sweets. Love of hot sauce. Love of chewing gum. Love of cigarettes. Love of lollipops. Love of cameras. Love of meat. Love of broccoli. Love of rain. Love of snowflakes. Love of lipstick. Love of pictures. Love of vanity. Love of art."

He left out love of the word "love." Perhaps it was my mistake to jump the train of thought that delivered the "What's in your mouth?" concept. So who is this guy?

"My name isn't important," he said. "I am an idea and that's all."

And really, who isn't?

Even ideas get around to places like Foo Camp, Lift '06, SxSw, Santacon, Ididorod, citywide pillow fights, subway parties and scooter rallies, all while looking at food porn.

These things, says oP, are the bricklayers for building a "happening" such as this one. They also give you clues to his identity. How many people could he be?

Trying to be slick, I looked up the Whois registry for oralpixation.com. It's registered to Oral Pixation of Brooklyn, New York.

"I have been a member of many events that once concluded take on a life of their own," he said. The photos from these events create a sort of "documentary view" of the mundane and the sublime.

"With the convergence of digital media, so many dorks are also bad ass photographers. I wanted an absolute absurdity of these different events, but at the same time, something universal, something heavenly and sinful."

Yeah, but why mouths?

"'Cause kisses are sweet."

I see. Aren't you concerned that this will become a magnet for porn uploads? Asking people to upload what's in their mouths could get a little nasty.

"Sure, but that's a negative viewpoint. I think if you give people the responsibility and tell them to be nice, 99% of them will not take advantage. If 1% are naughty, good. We are all devious at times."

Okay, so it's art imitating life imitating Tom Foolery. I get it. Many are already speculating it's a weird existential joke. Why April Fool's Day?

"Another reason to question reality. And of course, for the eXtream absurdity."

Indeed. So what do you hope to accomplish?

"Three or four good meals. The intersection of synthetic and natural realities, a cool story to tell the world - immortality."

Hope that works out for ya, Mr. Pixation, and I don't mean that "tongue in cheek."

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"I never met a Kentuckian who wasn't coming home."--Governor Happy Chandler

1 april 2006 joke on march 29? It is generally too early to know the future. Well proven Ad.

Who remeber TwinGine. It started as an april 1'st joke and gave the Norwegian guy more than 100 000 visitors on the first days. Look at the Google pagerank. Already 6. So if you find the right joke, it may be very profitable.

My story: On april 1'st 2006, internet's search engine number one Google has bought Norwegian DigitalPunkt with sub domains e.g. MultiFinanceIT to improve Google Finance

The owner has given away all rights, including code and ideas for future growth and are now concentrating all his efforts on ForumNorway.com and DigitalNorway.com :-)

Do you buy it?

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