«It is our message of happiness to the world»
By Frank Benjamin Horn Hartvedt
The Free Brothels PR stunt in 2010 was primarily carried out to attract attention to the concrete message of individual freedom and maximum happiness at all times. Over the course of a few weeks leading up to spring, a number of articles were published in several media outlets across Europe. The stunt made people talk – across the continent.
The Free Brothels stunt will be a relevant backdrop for the forthcoming work of Maksima.
Overview of central quotes from the PR stunt:
VG, 13 March 2010
Freethinker: Frank Horn Hartvedt wants Norwegian free brothels.
Author Ingvar Ambjørnsen in his column in VG, 13 March 2010
It’s just an idea of the clever sort, the kind of idea that can only emerge in the wake of a new, idiotic law. It is just Frank Horn Hartvedt … who has had a revelation, where he envisions liberal-minded Norwegians of both sexes, sharing their sexual surplus without compensation with those of us who usually have to shuffle home to the single bed after the last serving. … The first to be blessed are naturally the people of Bergen. Then the rest of us will get ours, little by little. Steaming sex in «free-political» movement. It is a mystery to me that no one has thought of this before.
TV 2, 22 February 2010
Will give free sex to the people.
Frank Benjamin Horn Hartvedt to Nettavisen, 23 February 2010
First and foremost, we are doing this to draw attention to … the message (about individual freedom). Secondly, we want to highlight that a ban on what one can do with one’s own body is wrong. There are many conscious people who have a diverse relationship with sex. Sex is not only something you do to have children or because two people feel love for each other. Sex can also be something animalistic.
Nettavisen, 10 March 2010
Frank Horn Hartvedt’s free brothel is to open ‘centrally in Bergen city center’ on Norway’s very own national day.
Aftonbladet.se, 24 February 2010
60 women and 30 men have already signed up. They all claim to … long to give away free sex. – They have an uncomplicated relationship with it, and consider sex to be as natural as eating breakfast, says Frank Horn Hartvedt … to Aftonbladet. Norway’s first five free brothels will soon open.
SABAH, 26 April 2010
(They) are preparing to carry out one of history’s most interesting protest methods. … Frank Horn Hartvedt … said: ‘Our goal is to remove the obstacles to unlimited happiness,’ and explained to SABAH why they undertook this project which created a great debate in Europe. … ‘We cannot accept that sexuality, the most beautiful gift that (is given) to humanity, is restricted in this way.’ … ‘(It is) our message of happiness to the world.’
(This article was published on frankbenjaminhartvedt.no in 2024)