Sex with a new man every day for a year might sound like an amazing thing, but for Russian-born performance artist Mischa Badasyan the experience has left him a dramatically changed man.

 

Badasyan, currently based in Berlin, launched the art project "Save the Date" in 2014. The idea: a new male sexual partner every night for 365 days. At first he relied on dating apps like Grindr for the hookups, but quickly became frustrated with the negativity in some of the responses to his ad.

 

He then went to clubs and cruising spots to find action. He was open to experiences with men who were young or old. He started working with sex workers, and even became one himself (though he didn't accept money).

 

But being on a schedule and forcing himself to have sex every single day became a chore.

 

“I didn’t like the dates, I didn’t like the sex, I didn’t like anything," he said. “It’s almost impossible… I had to be so focused, so disciplined for the whole year. I slept with so many people. Isn’t it insane?"

 

 

Worse, he started finding it difficult to become aroused sexually. 

 

"I had to use violence to enjoy sexuality," he said. "I was punching people. I became a machine."

 

And now?

 

“My sexuality is very strange now," he admitted. “I don’t go on dates with gay people anymore. The only way [I can] enjoy sex is voyeurism in men’s bathrooms, and by picking up of straight, bi, and undecided guys in the street[s] in Berlin.”

 

You can read more about Badasyan's project at VICE.