Phallic Fantasies – Meet Berlin’s Penis Rug Queen Page Travaglin
- Filip
- May 6
- 4 min read
In a tucked-away studio somewhere behind Berlin’s endless nights, artist Page Travaglini is doing what probably no one else is—tufting dicks. It started as a personal experiment. It became art. It’s bold, cheeky, and absolutely unapologetic. Phallic, her exhibition of tufted penis rugs held at Berlin's fetish store The Code, blends humor, sensuality, and a little bit of Berlin’s rebellious spirit.
Page, who’s been living in Berlin for eight years, tells us how it all began: “During Corona in 2019, I purchased all the equipment to start tufting. But I didn’t officially start focusing on it until I got my studio in October 2024.”
She was craving a creative outlet while working from home, and tufting was her answer. But the real spark—the idea to make rugs of penises—didn’t hit her until two weeks before her first exhibition. “It was a wild experiment,” Page admits. “The idea came to me during a home session with my partner while he was making music and I was crafting.”
It was a spontaneous, almost playful moment that led to something far bolder than she expected. “I had never created a 3D rug before. The whole creation of the exhibition was one big test—lots of planning, trial and error.” She shrugs. “Fuck it, right?”
From Humor to Reclamation: A New Kind of Masculinity in Art
Page’s penis rugs aren’t just about shock value or pushing boundaries. There’s a deeper meaning that unfolds with every piece. “My art has always included dicks,” she reflects. “I started with creating dick cigarette illustrations, which turned into tattoo flashes. Now, it’s evolving with every medium I use. It’s still unveiling itself to me.”
There’s a certain softness to the rugs—literally. Softness that contrasts with the traditionally hard and aggressive nature of phalluses. But this duality isn’t a coincidence. “Not intentionally,” she says. “But I like to create from different mediums. The tufted illustration brings something new. It evokes an invitation to touch, to get involved. It’s sensual.”
The phallic forms in her work represent something more complex than just sexual imagery.
They symbolize both celebration and reclamation. Page’s own personal journey with masculine energy plays a big role here. “I’ve always had this very masculine energy. Growing up in a large family, I adopted masculine behaviors just to stand out. So, this is a reclamation for me. I’m embracing that side of myself.”
When asked if her penis rugs are a celebration or a provocation, she doesn’t hesitate: “It’s definitely a celebration—especially with all the gay men I’ve had the privilege of calling my friends. The Berlin party scene is part of it. But it’s also a reclamation. There’s power in these images, and I’m owning that.”
The Berlin Influence: Creativity Born from Chaos
Berlin, with its vibrant and often chaotic energy, is the perfect city for an artist like Page to find herself. “I moved here blind, without knowing anything about the culture. But when I came here, I found this city where I truly belong,” she says. “And now, I can’t imagine making this work anywhere else.”
Her weekends are the stuff of Berlin legend: “My weekends consist of squeezing into toilet stalls with friends, listening to music, and bouncing from one club to another,” she confesses.
“Some of those nights end up at the studio, and that’s when I like to create. After a good dance, surrounded by other creatives, that’s when the magic happens.”
The Penis Rug That Started It All
As much as she embraces the wild, unpredictable nature of her work, Page isn’t afraid to laugh about it either. “If my rugs could talk after a night out in Berlin, they’d probably say, ‘Where’s the afters?’” It’s playful and cheeky, but it also reflects the intimate, social side of her work. Her rugs aren’t just pieces of art—they’re conversations, they’re invitations to touch, and they’re a part of a greater cultural moment.
A Personal Touch: Custom Penis Rugs Coming Soon
Page’s penis rugs are as personal as they come. While some are inspired by life, fantasy, and pure creative exploration, she’s already thinking about making them even more intimate. “There’s one rug based loosely on my partner,” she shares. “And in the future, I want to accept people’s dick pics and recreate them. Why not? Like people cast their dicks, I want to do the same with tufted art. It’s fun, playful, and totally unique.”
What’s Next for Page Travaglini?
Page’s art is continuously evolving, and she’s got big plans for the future. “I started out with a variety of yarns just to see what I could do, and now I want to add tattoos, piercings—more detailed work. I want to keep pushing this concept further, see how much I can play with the medium and the idea of phallic forms.”
As she continues to experiment with these vibrant, textured pieces, it’s clear that Berlin’s creative energy will remain a constant influence in her work. And while Page has only just begun to explore the limitless possibilities of tufting, there’s no telling where these phallic forms will go next.
For now, though, Page is embracing her art, and her city, with open arms—and dicks.
