Skip to main content

Home News News World

World’s most painful dildo goes up for auction

By Joshua Haigh

A sculpture dubbed the ‘world’s most painful dildo’ has gone up for auction.

Artist Paul Chisholm created ‘Viral Load’ in 2010 in response to his HIV diagnosis – and recently he decided to donate the piece to the Terrance Higgins Trust to raise money.

He found out he had HIV while on holiday back in 2007, and he revealed that it was a long call to the Terrance Higgins Trust that gave him the confidence to understand that his diagnosis wasn’t going to ruin his life.

Speaking about the sculpture, he explained it’s supposed to symbolise HIV in “it’s most violent and disturbing form, in part from its scientific depiction and also from what I interpret as affiliations to a voodoo doll.”

“The historic, political and personal enduring and turbulent emotions of HIV are encapsulated in this sculpture.”

Bidding ended earlier this month, when the sculpture sold for a guide price of £2,000.

More stories:
Husband of gay police officer killed in Paris attack delivers heartbreaking eulogy
US baseball player comes out live on TV – and doesn’t get the reaction he expects