Kestos Imas is based on the magical object worn by the Greek deity Aphrodite and her earlier fertility goddess incarnations. Ancient artworks and texts, including Homer's Iliad, portray Aphrodite wearing a kestos imas, translated variously as a magic girdle, corset, belt or saltire. It is described as pierced or embroidered, and often shown with dangling ornaments. In this garment, Aphrodite kept the magical powers that enabled her to seduce any god or human, male or female. She lent the girdle to other goddesses, including Hera, when needed.

The Aphrodite Project Team created three contemporary kestos imas prototypes, with customizable communications features that can be used by prostitutes and other sex workers in multiple work environments. The design and functionality of each prototype was based on research and input from the sex worker community. During our interviews with sex workers, the conversation frequently revolved around the discretion and subtle communication essential for any kind of sex work. Prostitutes often move from one type of sex work to another, transitioning from working strolls, where loud and eye-catching attire is required, to work in bars or hotels, where communication must be subtle. There is also a very strong desire for community-building initiatives that improve safety and encourage sex worker driven networks.

Through necessity, sex workers and other marginalized groups develop alternative means of communication, from scratching the license plate numbers of 'bad dates' into walls, to sophisticated 'bad date' blogs. The gay and BDSM communities use the hanky system to communicate specific sexual interests in a public setting (i.e., dark blue for intercourse or light blue for oral sex). Building on this existing framework, the kestos imas prototypes use similar communication systems to quickly and easily display sexual availability and preferences, deliver text messages, and send calls for help.

Kestos Imas (Belt) and Kestos Imas (Saltire) communicate nuanced information to clients and other sex workers with lights (LEDs and electroluminescent (EL) wire) that range from subtle flashes to more overt displays. The pink EL wire on both garments can be quickly turned on, when there is a desire for attention. The color, timing and brightness of the pulsing can be customized, to make an individual pattern or Morse code. It can also be quickly turned off, and the gray silk chiffon allows the components to fade back into the garment. The small tri-color LED on the back of the garments is for discreet safety communication. If a sex worker is speaking to someone they are unsure about (i.e., an undercover cop, problem client or ”bad date”), the worker can casually press a small button to flash a specific color and warn her colleagues. This small flash is visible only to someone slightly behind or in back of the garment, not to the potentially problematic person in front.

Aphrodite’s kestos imas is described as an “embroidered band in which all enchantments were woven: love, desire, and whispered words of love.” (1) Kestos Imas (Girdle) communicates via sound, amplifying the girdle's whispered words of love. The two flat-panel speakers in the rear of the garment attach to an iPod or other MP3 player, making it possible to use anything on your play list to express yourself or advertise. The flat panel speakers use NXT technology, which allows for excellent sound quality despite their small size.

All three of the garments are close fitting and the stretchy Lycra undergarments can be worn under any outfit. They have numerous pockets, which can be used to store keys, condoms, and other items should the sex worker's purse get stolen, a common occurrence among many workers. The hidden pockets also house safety features like an audible alarm system and a GPS unit, providing communication if one's cell phone is disabled or stolen. The GPS system in the prototypes is a Go Everywhere. Manufactured in China, the Go Everywhere works with any SIM card, allowing for anonymity. It has an SOS button, and can be programmed to call or text specific cell phone numbers automatically if you leave or enter a certain geographic area.

Kestos Imas is a hybrid work that incorporates art, design, and political action. It pushes boundaries in all of these areas, asking provocative questions about the role of art: Can an art project contribute to the harm reduction model of outreach programs? What are the boundaries between art and social work? Who gets new technology and when? The project was inspired by the work of Joseph Beuys and Krzysztof Wodiczko, but explores an almost exclusively female domain. It draws on the innovations of the courtesans of antiquity to improve the conditions of 21st century women who, despite advances in culture and technology, are now perceived to be outlaws by trade and vulnerable to surveillance and violence.

Kestos Imas is part of The Aphrodite Project, a series of artworks that explore female sexuality through the complex mythologies of Aphrodite. In 2001, Sanctuary re-activated the Sanctuary of Aphrodite in Cyprus with large-scale video installations that combined a classical Aphrodite with contemporary Cypriot domesticity. In 2006 the Platforms integrated system of shoes and online services was developed for sex workers.

(1) Dalby, Andrew. Venus: A Biography. Los Angeles: Getty Publications, 2005.