Fetish art
Encyclopedia
Fetish art is art
that depicts people in fetishistic
situations such as bondage
, BDSM
, transvestism
, domination/submission scenarios etc. -- sometimes in combination.
Many of the 'classic' 1940s, '50s and '60s era fetish artists such as Eric Stanton
and Gene Bilbrew
began their careers at Irving Klaw
's Movie Star News company (later Nutrix) creating drawings for episodic illustrated bondage stories.
In 1954 fetish artist John Coutts (aka John Willie
) founded Bizarre magazine. Bizarre was published in London and widely distributed in the U.S., and was the inspiration for a number of new fetish magazine
s such as Bizarre Life. In 1957 English engineer John Sutcliffe founded Atomage
magazine, which featured images of the rubber clothing he had made. Sutcliffe's work would inspire Dianna Rigg's leather catsuit-wearing character in The Avengers
, a TV show that, "opened the floodgates for fetish-SM images".
In the 1970s and 1980s, fetish artists like Robert Bishop
were published extensively in bondage magazines. In recent years, the annual SIGNY award
s have been awarded to the bondage artists voted the best of that year.
Many artists working in the mainstream comic book
industry have included fetishistic imagery in their work, usually as a shock tactic or to denote villainy or corruption. The effect of depictions of beautiful women in tight fetish outfits on the sales of comics to a mostly teenage male comics-buying audience may also be a factor. In 1950s America comics with bondage or fetish themes began appearing. Around the same time, fetish artists influenced the cartoons of George Petty
, Alberto Vargas
and others, which featured in magazines like Playboy
and Esquire
. Arguably the best known example of fetish imagery in comics is the catsuit-wearing, whip-wielding Catwoman
, who has been called, "an icon of fetish art".
Many S&M, leather and fetish artists have produced images depicting urine fetishism ("watersports"), including Domino, Tom of Finland
, Matt and The Hun.
Sometimes fetish art simply depicts a person dressed in fetish clothing. Fetish clothing includes undergarments, stockings, high heels, corsets and boots. A common fetish theme is a woman dressed as a dominatrix.
Mainstream fine artists such as Allen Jones
have included strong fetish elements in their work. An artist whose erotica transcends to mainstream collectors is found in the Shunga and Shibari style works of Hajime Sorayama. Taschen books included Artist Hajime Sorayama, whom his peer artists call a cross between Norman Rockwell and Dali or an imaginative modern day Vargas. Sorayama's robotic diverse illustrative works are in permanent collections of MOMA and the Smithsonian Institute as well as the fetish arts in the private WEAM Museum collection.
The works of contemporary fetish artists such as Roberto Baldazzini
and Michael Manning
are published by art book companies like NBM and Taschen.
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
that depicts people in fetishistic
Sexual fetishism
Sexual fetishism, or erotic fetishism, is the sexual arousal a person receives from a physical object, or from a specific situation. The object or situation of interest is called the fetish, the person a fetishist who has a fetish for that object/situation. Sexual fetishism may be regarded, e.g...
situations such as bondage
Bondage (BDSM)
Bondage is the use of restraints for the sexual pleasure of the parties involved. It may be used in its own right, as in the case of rope bondage and breast bondage, or as part of sexual activity or BDSM activity.- Private bondage :...
, BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
, transvestism
Transvestism
Transvestism is the practice of cross-dressing, which is wearing clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex. Transvestite refers to a person who cross-dresses; however, the word often has additional connotations. -History:Although the word transvestism was coined as late as the 1910s,...
, domination/submission scenarios etc. -- sometimes in combination.
Many of the 'classic' 1940s, '50s and '60s era fetish artists such as Eric Stanton
Eric Stanton
Eric Stanton was an American bondage and fetish illustrator, cartoonist, and comic-book artist.The majority of his work depicted female dominance scenarios.-Early life and career:...
and Gene Bilbrew
Gene Bilbrew
Eugene "Gene" Bilbrew was an American cartoonist and fetish artist. In addition to signing his work with his own name, he drew under a range of pseudonyms, including ENEG , Van Rod, and Bondy....
began their careers at Irving Klaw
Irving Klaw
Irving Klaw was an American photographer and filmmaker.Klaw is best-known for operating a mail-order business selling photographs and film of attractive women from the 1940s to the 1960s...
's Movie Star News company (later Nutrix) creating drawings for episodic illustrated bondage stories.
In 1954 fetish artist John Coutts (aka John Willie
John Willie
John Alexander Scott Coutts , better known as John Willie, was a pioneering fetish photographer, illustrator, and bondage artist.- Life and work :...
) founded Bizarre magazine. Bizarre was published in London and widely distributed in the U.S., and was the inspiration for a number of new fetish magazine
Fetish magazine
A fetish magazine is a type of magazine originating in the 1960s which is devoted to sexual fetishism. The content is generally aimed at being erotic rather than pornographic...
s such as Bizarre Life. In 1957 English engineer John Sutcliffe founded Atomage
AtomAge
AtomAge magazine was a fetish magazine published in Britain by the clothes designer John Sutcliffe in the 1970s as an offshoot of his AtomAge fetish clothing business. The first AtomAge clothing catalogue was published in 1965; the first issue of the magazine in A5 format was published in 1972...
magazine, which featured images of the rubber clothing he had made. Sutcliffe's work would inspire Dianna Rigg's leather catsuit-wearing character in The Avengers
The Avengers (TV series)
The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
, a TV show that, "opened the floodgates for fetish-SM images".
In the 1970s and 1980s, fetish artists like Robert Bishop
Robert Bishop (artist)
Robert K. Bishop was an American bondage artist, often credited as The Bishop or simply Bishop. Born in Michigan, he has been compared with John Willie and described as the "Rembrandt of bondage art"....
were published extensively in bondage magazines. In recent years, the annual SIGNY award
SIGNY award
The SIGNY awards were an annual series of awards that recognized the best performers, artists, photographers and riggers, writers and models in the field of bondage erotica....
s have been awarded to the bondage artists voted the best of that year.
Many artists working in the mainstream comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
industry have included fetishistic imagery in their work, usually as a shock tactic or to denote villainy or corruption. The effect of depictions of beautiful women in tight fetish outfits on the sales of comics to a mostly teenage male comics-buying audience may also be a factor. In 1950s America comics with bondage or fetish themes began appearing. Around the same time, fetish artists influenced the cartoons of George Petty
George Petty
George Brown Petty IV was an American pin-up artist. His pin-up art appeared primarily in Esquire and Fawcett Publications's True but was also in calendars marketed by Esquire, True and Ridgid Tool Company. Petty's Esquire gatefolds originated and popularized the magazine device of centerfold...
, Alberto Vargas
Alberto Vargas
Alberto Vargas was a noted Peruvian painter of pin-up girls. He is often considered one of the most famous of the pin-up artists...
and others, which featured in magazines like Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
and Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
. Arguably the best known example of fetish imagery in comics is the catsuit-wearing, whip-wielding Catwoman
Catwoman
Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman franchise. Historically a supervillain, the character was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's cousin, Ruth Steel...
, who has been called, "an icon of fetish art".
Many S&M, leather and fetish artists have produced images depicting urine fetishism ("watersports"), including Domino, Tom of Finland
Tom of Finland
Touko Laaksonen, best known by his pseudonym Tom of Finland was a Finnish artist notable for his stylized androerotic and fetish art and his influence on late twentieth century gay culture. He has been called the "most influential creator of gay pornographic images" by cultural historian Joseph W...
, Matt and The Hun.
Sometimes fetish art simply depicts a person dressed in fetish clothing. Fetish clothing includes undergarments, stockings, high heels, corsets and boots. A common fetish theme is a woman dressed as a dominatrix.
Mainstream fine artists such as Allen Jones
Allen Jones (sculptor)
Allen Jones RA is a British pop artist, best known for his sculptures. He lives and works in London.Jones was born in Southampton and from 1955 to 1961 studied at the Hornsey College of Art...
have included strong fetish elements in their work. An artist whose erotica transcends to mainstream collectors is found in the Shunga and Shibari style works of Hajime Sorayama. Taschen books included Artist Hajime Sorayama, whom his peer artists call a cross between Norman Rockwell and Dali or an imaginative modern day Vargas. Sorayama's robotic diverse illustrative works are in permanent collections of MOMA and the Smithsonian Institute as well as the fetish arts in the private WEAM Museum collection.
The works of contemporary fetish artists such as Roberto Baldazzini
Roberto Baldazzini
Roberto Baldazzini is a graphic artist who specializes in writing and illustrating full-color erotic comic books.He received a formal education in commerce, after which he took several art courses and, in 1980, he founded Pinguino, for which he created the character Ronnie Fumoso, based on...
and Michael Manning
Michael Manning (fetish artist)
Michael Manning is a fetish artist based in Los Angeles, California, having moved there from San Francisco, California in late 2005. NBM has published several collections of his work, including Cathexis and Lumenagerie, and a series of graphic novels, The Spider Garden series, which consists of,...
are published by art book companies like NBM and Taschen.
See also
- Erotic artErotic artErotic art covers any artistic work that is intended to evoke erotic arousal or that depicts scenes of love-making. It includes paintings, engravings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, music and writing.-Definition:...
- List of fetish artists
- Bondage magazine
- Fetish magazineFetish magazineA fetish magazine is a type of magazine originating in the 1960s which is devoted to sexual fetishism. The content is generally aimed at being erotic rather than pornographic...
- Fetish modelFetish modelA fetish model is a model who models fetish clothing or devices that augment his or her body in a fetish manner or in fetishistic situations, though he or she may not work exclusively in that form of modeling....
- Fetish photographer
- Photomanipulation