Tribute to Stan of Sweden - 1

The photographs of Stan of Sweden enjoyed a brief vogue during the flowering of beefcake mags in the 1960's. Like Basil Clavering of Royale Studio, he made much use of everyday clothing which gave his muscular models a sense of place in the everyday world instead of isolating them in some unreachable place reserved for the Gods of Physique. Today he seems largely forgotten, this article pays tribute to his stunning male art.

Bo Johansson by Stan of Sweden

Bo Johansson was one of Stan's most popular models.

Boyish looks, but a stunning bodybuilder's physique.

The cap may have gone out of fashion but not the muscles.

Bo Johansson by Stan of Sweden

Bo's quizzical expression here is priceless.

It makes him look like an innocent young man, up from the country,

uncomfortable at being asked to strike the artificial, body-builder pose.

Hans Brown by Stan of Sweden

 Hans Brown looks away, also as though embarrassed about his muscles being on display.

Perhaps not realising how his rebellious, thumbs-in-pockets pose and indrawn abs

 increases the erotic effect.

These pale jeans were a hallmark of Stan's work, they add a casual, improvised air. 

The loose fit on this model suggest they are not the his own attire.

Kent Strom by Stan of Sweden

In this image the dipping waistline and dramatic lighting became something of a classic.

The open pose (another body-builder standard) seems like an invitation from the darkness.

Stan did not shy away from a hairy torso but made a feature of it. 

The side-ties on the model's trunks are dated but still sexy, just one tug!

Hans Inge by Stan of Sweden

Stan didn't use posing pouches (as far as I know) but did get some of his models naked.

Here again the arty lighting deliberately accentuates the hairy regions,

including the lower abdomen, which was daring for it's time.

Kurt Peters by Stan of Sweden

Stan did not restrict himself to body-builders.

This model has a more 'natural' build, though not lacking a pleasing shape.

His older face, hairiness and seaman's tattoos suggest ruggedness and experience.

The clean look of his jeans, though drawn tight, seems reassuringly respectable*.

One of my personal favourites

(*But we should remember that in the 1960's, jeans were far from universal wear, their tight sexiness was solely the province of the rebellious young. The white or pale blue variants did not accentuate wear and sexy creases like the indigo ones did, but were regarded as daring and very showy in a way that was rather disreputable for a man)

Niels Anton by Stan of Sweden

This looks like a tough, working man too, although he's more muscularly built.

The ice hook adds an overt edge, which is unusual in Stan's work. 

The pale jeans have been swapped for a corduroy pair (alluringly tactile in their day). 

The tight fit suggests they might be the model's own clothes.

The waistline abruptly interrupts the line of the model's torso, bluntly obscuring his nakedness. 

But the cut-off across the line of his abs is teasing, with a hint of pubic hair escaping.

Lower down, the opening of his crotch is clearly visible below a modest bulge.

Niels Anton by Stan of Sweden

In this image the naked torso seems a more natural complement to the jeans.

They showcase his manly, broad-shouldered physique. 

His slightly youthful face with aspirational 'tache-let and knowingly coiffured hair

is a marvellous portrait of emerging manhood.

However, his open crotch, the shape of the hook and the way he is holding it 

creates a electric erotic undercurrent which is hard to define but unmistakeable.

Notice the hair showing under his arm-pit.

Sivert Olsen by Stan of Sweden

The frightened expression of this young bodybuilder performing a side pose under harsh lighting makes a thought-provoking complement to Niels Anton's scary hook above. Stan had a talent for capturing the uncertainty of young men.

Stan took many conventional images of body-builders posing in competitions, which is no doubt how he won their confidence and was able to persuade them to pose 'out of their trunks' for more interesting imagery. There's an impression here that Sivert is in the process of loosening his side-ties and about to take his trunks off, but Stan usually wanted these muscular models to put clothes on for his photos.

Bo Johansson by Stan of Sweden

In this image Stan catches Bo Johansson in a pose that is the epitome of awkward, uncertainty.

The model seems to be pouting in irritation and frustration,

but he's unwittingly showing his obedience to Stan's wishes.

This isn't a body-builder's pose, there's a hint of captivity about it.

Sven Eric by Stan of Sweden.

Stan seems to have a trick for drawing out the hairiness of a man's body, an oil or water spray perhaps. 

Maybe that is responsible for Sven Erick's expression of saintly patience and forbearance here.

Coupled with the oversize jeans, it creates an impression of him being manipulated and controlled.

That is the true reality, but the gay viewer can vicariously enjoy the illusion of submissivness.

Tord Eric by Sven of Sweden

Stan's male imagery is sexily unique in many ways, but he joins the beefcake mainstream 

with this image of Tord Eric in a US Navy cap, AMG-style.

However the sweeping dip of the model's trunks creates a stronger image than a pouch would.

The original image may have given a better idea of it's contents!

In Part 2, I look at his images which echo themes from other photographers.

A Chunky Inspiration

1

 A man lounges on a commercial trolley dreaming absently, as if bored.

He's completely naked, apart from sports socks and chunky trainers.

His legs are wide open, shamelessly displaying his cock and dark recess.

Balanced a tiny yellow platform, it's as if his manhood is being offered on a plate.

He is waiting for his buyer to come for collect him.

For this is the checkout of the 'Cash and Carry' of male serfdom.

He doesn't come with a name and the outlet didn't give him one.

I call him Luke.

2

Luke stretches languidly flexing his muscles as a customer walks by, 

He knows the sheen of display oil on his body catches the lights

and likes the way it makes them look at him - and at his groin.

They're sizing him up, but he's already spoken for, 

the buyer is completing his leasing arrangement close by.

3

Luke isn't tied up or fettered like a slave, he's free to get up and stretch.

But he can't just walk out of this secure warehouse, not even naked. 

But that's about his contract, not imprisoning him against his will. 

These days, serf labourers, as they are now called, don't want to escape, 

they get an up-front fee and their conditions are fair and governed by law. 

They submit themselves to serfdom by choice, knowing the score.

Luke gets up and stretches his muscles which have stiffened up sitting so long, 

He turns and squats on the trolley, flexing his back and legs,

also flirtatiously presenting his back and ass to an approaching group of buyers.

Luke has a beast of a back and they stop and watch him, marvelling at it

At this end of the market, few of them are looking for a lap dog or sexual servant, 

They are more likely to imagine him before them in the traces, pulling the plough share,

licking his back with the whip occasionally to drive him straight and narrow.

(Oh yes, you can do that under the standard contract, Luke knows the score)

This is a wonderful image, such a shame it's not in colour, 

it inspired one of my pictures in The Lost Patrol series, 'Luke in the Can'

 (Part of a series that also lost it's way some time back! But one day!)

If you'd passed Luke in the street in the days before he went into service,

You might have given the man casually leaning against the wall a second glance.

Big, muscled, loitering in skimpy shorts, just out of the gym perhaps.

You might even have looked at those massive thighs and thought woof!

But the scruffy clothes, the fleshy face, the stubble, the hard look?

Maybe not.

Casual, hard. Luke cuts the same challenging figure in the saleroom

Out of his clothes, it's obvious he's carrying too much weight

But that's his niche, he's a heavy worker, priced by the kilo.

He'll shed some of it once they put him to work, that's called depreciation.

If he had cut muscles or a pretty face he'd be in a swanky sale up West.

But those qualities don't last either.

Take me or leave me. That's his style.

He's still obliged to shape up for interested parties though.

Putting on whatever poses they want from him, answering their questions

while the salesman does his patter, listing his skills and considerable experience.

The clients examine him, experienced fingers assessing his muscle tone and conditioning

He waits for their hands to land on  his thighs and linger there (they all do that).

Some pass remarks about his untidy body hair.

"You can shave me if you want", he might challenge them.

It sorts out time-wasters sometimes or makes a connection

Of course, they can do whatever they want - once he belongs to them.

Some buyers do it as soon as they've paid for their purchase,

shaving the serf's body bare, there and then, in the busy, checkout hall. 

Because they can.

If he's told to turn and face the wall, Luke knows they're interested.

He cuts a much better figure in that perspective too,

He likes to hear them say 'Wow!' or give low whistles of appreciation.

The salesman usually puts in some bull about impressing their friends.

Now his back will be subjected to tactile examination 

It usually takes longer if they are serious about buying.

The longer it takes them to reach his ass crack, the more genuine they are.

But they all finish up there.

Luke always says it's OK to touch it, but speaks as if it isn't.

Luke knows the score, he'll give it up if the client wants it,

but his reluctance is a sweetener, often it clinches the bargain.

His show of reluctance leads naturally into considerations of discipline 

The clients want to know how the prospective serf reacts to chastisement

The law says it must be non-damaging, on the back or the ass. 

That doesn't mean it can't be painful, of course.

The client must pay an insurance fee if he wants a try out.

A short session allows serf and master to gauge their compatibility. 

The showroom has a selection of suitable implements to hand.

Luke's style is to acknowledge the blows without dramatics.

After he waits for the touch between the legs that almost invariably follows.

Wanting to know if it will be aggressive, gloating or gently reassuring. 

Luke has his needs too.

Quite often the client will just walk away at this point

Attracted to the bull, but unsure about their ability to manage him.

Some never of them intended to buy, Luke can usually spot them,

they just like browsing through men who want to be bought.

It makes them feel powerful.

It's been a long wait for Luke and it's getting chilly in the showroom.

The doors are being opened for clients leaving with their purchases.

Some look at Luke sadly as they pass, thinking he's been left on the shelf.

Luke himself is wondering if there's some problem with his paperwork.

But it's reassuring to him that the client cares enough to check it thoroughly.

He'd rather be in a secure position, not returned under the money back guarantee.

By the time the client and salesman reappear, Luke's gotten quite grumpy.

A man with greasy hands just tried to fluff him and it's left him in a state.

One that delights the client, fortunately.

The salesman explains that the client has asked if he can take an option for life.

This means that after a probationary period his lease on Luke can be converted

by mutual agreement to renew automatically for the rest of their lives.

Luke has to give his initial consent to this arrangement.

He looks at the client hard, reviewing what he knows.

He's rich and spanks with a vengeance

He looks OK and has a gentle touch where it matters.

It's a tempting offer........

~ 

These images were published in Zipper back in the 80's and I rediscovered them recently while browsing through my scrapbooks and digitising them. His looks are quite unprepossessing in some ways, but obviously I was attracted to his animal bulk and masculinity back then, Those feelings were renewed while preparing this article. Woof!

Art by Phyjikal

Phyjikal - Abducted

 This artist devotes himself to the masculinity and desirability of chubby men.

This image sums that up with a unsuspecting example of the breed being abducted.

N.B. All the image titles in this post are mine, not the artist's

Phyjikal - Chained and Tormented

He toys with such captives being chained up and tormented.

This is just the right vehicle for displaying their chunky hairiness.

And asserting their sexuality and toughness.

Phyjikal - Lifeguard To The Rescue

This marvellously simple image of a chunky lifeguard racing to the rescue

Presents those characteristics in a very different, surprising and highly positive way.

I say Help! Come and get me!

Phyjikal - Block Builder

This image is less surprising, simply displaying a workman's physical strength.

The transparent cube (ice?) and intense facial expression lend the study an artistic dignity .

The bulging briefs and open, braced legs are a less subtle hint of innate sex-appeal. 

Phyjikal - Rubber Gloves

The artist isn't afraid to turn the strength attribute on it's head

In this image physical size is supplemented by military connections

But it's still not enough to face the threat of medical inspection with equanimity.

Phyjikal - Locked In A Corner

Many of this artist's images portray sweaty, physical struggles between equals.

The fight scenario creates scenes of big men being overpowered and dominated.  

Phyjikal - Choke Hold

Erotic vulnerabilities and opportunities never seem to be too far away.

This character is repeatedly set up to be the hapless jobber, there to be used.

Phyjikal - Groping Gloves

He brings to that role a delicious air of masochistic resignation

And an ever-tempting, un-flagging arousal.

Phyjikal - Pumped Up

Which results in some spectacular finishes

as his opponents ruthlessly do their worst.

Phyjikal - Guess What

In a world of big men, some stereotypes are a temptation too hard to resist.

Mixing big and small with black and white here creates an element of balance.

But is this a respectful, seductive approach? Or a whispered ultimatum?

Phyjikal - In His Arms

This artist certainly isn't ruled by stereotypes.

There's gentleness, fondness and trust in this coupling.

It seems almost too private and intimate to be intruded upon.

Phyjikal - Give Me A Ring

Trust clearly exists here too between a naked and a fully clothed man,

I take this to be a photographer and his model setting up a shot.

Which will put a tray of doughnuts to a (predictably) unconventional use.

There is an underlying manipulation and control of the big guy that is very sexy.

Phyjikal - Cocktail Mix

The humour in this piece is equally well trodden,

But the pose involved is far from being a cliché.

It's sexy and surprisingly flexible for such a big man.

Phyjikal - Flexible Response

So too this arching ecstasy

It is sexy enough that the physiological realities go largely unnoticed.

The crossed arms and face-stroking of the recipient however are quite puzzling.

Phyjikal - Temptation

The last two images in my post are nice examples of a more usual interaction.

Promoting the sexual allure of chubbies in the simplest, most direct of ways.

Phyjikal - Lust

see more Phyjikal posts at Twitter

Oztangles Retrospective 5

The gay art of Oztangles
Read this mitchmen series from Part 1

2020

Oztangles - The Temple 02

Oztangles produced a series of images in 2020 called 'The Temple' and in this one he creates the atmosphere of a sacrificial chamber with a captive lying spread-eagled across Oz's favourite altar stone. Before him stands a monk-like guard armed with a very sharp-looking machete.  

Two more men are suspended from nearby pillars looking on as they await their own fate. Meanwhile they are being utilised as light sources having been fitted with somewhat incongruous, leather fetish gags which are apparently come supplied with an ingenious, candle sconce accessory that you won't get from Ikea. Judging by the skeletons dangling just behind the altar, this is a long term commitment. 

Oz's rendering of anatomy and clothing reaches impressive levels here, but the background architecture is a bit flat. He dips into perilous waters with his retro, Afro-cum-Oceanic characterisation of the High Priest.

Oztangles - The Temple 06

The denouement turns out to be more prosaic as the intimidating guard melts away leaving the principals to get down to some dirty work.

A nicely balanced composition with good suspension imagery. 

Oztangles - Zane in Trouble

Suspension is the main focus of this image with a captive about to be dipped into water. The men are clad in traditional leather fetish gear but the setting has the feel of a modern workshop. It's a background Oz has used to good effect in other images. Here it all looks surprisingly clean and clinical.  

An ingenious transparent container is used for the dunking water. It gives a stronger sense that Zane is being lowered into it, not just suspended above it. It looks a tightish fit too, with not much scope for Zane to struggle, let alone lifting his head out of the water once he is dipped in it. 
These two are not playing games.

The character at the controls on the left has an other worldly quality about him that is quite sinister with dark, unreal skin toning and a fierce face that resembles the vengeful characters seen in medieval paintings and statues. Zane's pointing finger suggests he is attempting to negotiate a reprieve.

Oztangles  - Big Mistake

The man in this image seems to have made a surprising choice for the location of what seems to be his first tattoo. I can't say I'm qualified to comment on just how painful this is and, since tattoos feature in Oz's images infrequently, I suspect he is commenting from the side-lines too. Judging by his erectile state the recipient is finding some compensation in the caring hands of the tattooist, if not the needle itself - or maybe it's the combination of the two that is so stimulating. 

I'm no expert but the way the needle is being applied here doesn't look conventional. One might wish the tattoist would be showing more concentration on the task in hand and surely he doesn't need to spread his legs quite that wide!

The tattooing scenario disguises the sexual implications of this scenario only thinly, but there's a second, less obvious layer to the eroticism. It's the customer's right hand, tightly gripping the armrest of the chair. It also appears to be resting in the tattooist's crotch, indeed it's easy to mistake his wrist with a suggestive body part belonging to the other man. In its way, this element is a mini-masterpiece of  hidden eroticism that the old masters of gay art would have greatly appreciated. 

Oz has managed to find some interesting and authentic-looking background detail for this picture which greatly enhances it. For once there isn't a dildo in sight.

Oztangles - Zdeno's Workout 1

I rather like this straightforward piece showing a boxer beefing up in a gym. It's a place which we've visited several times before in this retrospective (see Part 4, covering 2015-19). If you've seen those images there are no prizes for guessing what happens to the mirror in the companion piece to this picture - Zdeno's Workout 2 (Clue #1:- he's naked in it, Clue #2 see below).

2021

Oztangles - Quarantine Wank

Lest we forget, 2020-21 gave the word 'isolation' a whole new meaning. For gay men obsessed with cruising the deprivation must have been at least the equal of the more well-publicised traumas.
The very term 'lock down' must have seemed a cruel irony 

This image celebrates the consolation prize God left with men, for use when they weren't required for procreation. You probably remember that we have seen other versions of this memorable, sexy pose  at mitchmen blog. 

Oz's cum-spattered mirror seems to have become something of an obsession, extending back a long way (e.g. 2015), well before the virus struck, but the 'virtual' partner seen in the reflection acquired a new vividness in those months of isolation. The 'Angel' character goes back even further to 2009  and has made other sporadic appearances since then (notably in 2019). His imaginary wings that which might have allowed him to fly away to freedom became a poignant symbol in a period that was a time of introspection and nostalgia for the old days.

And who believed the politicians who said Covid would become the new normal? 
They actually got it right for once, dammit!

Oztangles - Ed's Nightmare 05

The centrepiece of 2021's offerings has to be 'Ed's Nightmare' in which he is abducted from his bed by a military gang and handed over in shackles to the leather clad thug we see in this picture. In a typically Oz, high-tech torture chamber he is mounted in a metal spreader frame in front of a TV camera which is dispassionately recording every moment of his nightmare. 

 The X-frame and spread-eagle pose is standard bdsm imagery, but combining it with suspension is less common and very disorienting for the recipient. Oz manages to infuse Ed's limbs with a degree of tension that make it look genuinely stretched. His body shaping and skin tones are softly succulent and the dramatic, ethnic tattoo on his backside accentuates his vulnerability and nudity. 

Those grey demonic skin tones seen in 'Zane in Trouble' (above) surface again in this villain (if you view him as one). He sits back contemplating his prey and  allowing Ed plenty of time to assess him in return, wondering what he is planning to do with him. Meanwhile the camera catches every minute.

Oztangles - Ed's Nightmare 11

Ed is subjected to a series of torments without ever leaving the frame. Many of them utilise electricity and this, the last scene, is arguably the most dramatic. Notice the time that has elapsed during this demanding examination. His feet have been lowered closer to the ground, perhaps to achieve electrical grounding, but he can still only reach it with his toes. The curious balancing on curled toes here seems to reference ballet technique, a painful way to support body weight for the untrained - and it looks it here, although it's not clear whether the frame is obliging him to do that in this set-up.

Oztangles - Tony's Adventure 06

'Tony's Adventure', by contrast is far less traumatic. He is tempted into a strip club by a 'Men Only' promise. After enjoying the show he goes exploring and finds the delectable stripper expecting visitors in his dressing room. Tony is portrayed as a chunky, ordinary man who is probably delighted by the stripper's eagerness to serve him. Its a dream come true that was never expected. 

All of us can relate to that. 

There's a hint of mild S&M in the toys which Tony can see draped over the chairback and on the dressing table beyond (seen by us in the mirror). The shiny thing in his groin is proves to be a chunky cock-ring later, but who fitted it is not revealed.

Oztangles - Tony's Adventure 09

Tony gets to sample one of the dildos in the finale but he's had the pleasure of the stripper's ass in the mean-time. This is the nearest the stripper gets to returning the favour. Clearly Tony isn't disappointed and there's a nice sense of  playfulness here which shows the hunky stripper to be a thoroughly nice bloke, happy to give this somewhat unprepossessing stranger an experience to remember and cherish.

Oztangles - Tony's Adventure 07

This is an intermediate scene. Normally I would pass over an image like this since it's frequently replicated in every porn film you've ever seen and most homoerotic art. But I think Oz has made an exceptionally good job of it here. Tony's pose is perfection and his chunky physique is transformed into an idealised form that any man would appreciate. Paradoxically, the slender stripper unexpectedly exhibits gloriously chunky thighs, an exaggeration that I appreciate. His sitting position has no hint of submissiveness, he's comfortable giving service. Nice.

Oztangles - Laundry Day 01

This is a more everyday fantasy, which was memorably invoked in 1985 (but not fulfilled) in the Nick Kamen launderette ad for Levi jeans and also in one of my own ramblings My Beautiful Launderette. Like the 'Tony' series this story features a man whose outward appearance might be considered unattractive by some, in this case because he is wearing spectacles. 

By contrast his opposite number is a classic, desirable hunk with a trendy, undercut hairstyle, an enviable physique and skimpy cut-off shorts intended to make sure everyone notices him. But in an unusual twist on the 'Unattainable Bar Man' syndrome, it's he who falls for the Laundromat attendant - or his ass at any rate - as he watches him tending the machines.

Oztangles - Laundry Day 05

Inevitably the spectacles have to be discarded as soon as the attendant gets down on his knees to show his appreciation . A routine sex episode follows but it climaxes (as it were) is this unusual, wheelbarrow position which suggests to me that this dumb hunk is something of a sexual athlete. Or perhaps the bespectacled attendant is a very good teacher.

Oztangles - Pier Street Sunday Morning

This image is also based on an unusual pose, but it is really a commonplace sight on city streets and at surfer beaches. Oz transforms the imagery by making the city skateboarder a grown up man and stripping away his clothing to reveal an emphatically adult and well-honed physique. The resulting figure study seems surprisingly original and his twisted body and balancing pose is comparable in beauty to the male statues of antiquity - just imagine the skateboard replaced by a discus or a javelin in his hand. However, this modern, over-grown kid is much sexier. 

This is one of those render pictures where it's hard to tell where the software leaves off and the artistry begins, but for me it's the result that counts and this is a great result. It's one of several images in 2021 where Oz explores athletic, unconventional body poses (like the wheelbarrow and quarantine images above) and it's much to the benefit of his art.

Oztangles - Naughty Corner 02

The title of this piece prepares you for another S&M romp but in fact this is more chuck-flick than bdsm. It shows the moment when Mario, the sub is freed from his chastity cage and tether after 3 weeks in isolation for dilly-dallying with the plumber. Oz does not indicate whether the formidable electrical installation nearby has figured in this punishment.

 The sub-title to this scene is 'Keep still, dammit, the key's stuck!'  So it's actually a comic moment with the master kneeling, apologetically almost, before his hyper -frustrated slave. 

Another cum-splattered mirror seems in prospect.

Oztangles - A Busy Day (detail)

I won't leave 2021 without mentioning this series, entitled 'Execution'. It's a frank and disturbing telling of a grisly tale with a twist of cynical exploitation thrown in. Coming from this artist, it's unexpected. I have covered noose art here at mitchmen before (see 'noose' label at foot of the post for other posts on the subject) but this detail is all I intend to show of Oz's challenging contribution to the genre. 

You can view the whole sequence at the link given at the end of this post. 

2022

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 01

Oztangle's 2022 work is dominated by the Punishment Cell series. It picks up the theme of isolation as punishment which featured also in Naughty Corner (just above). However, in this case it's a Military Punishment for answering back. The nudity of the prisoner here doesn't quite fit with that background and the chastity device on a chain which is only just long enough to allow him use the bucket seems to take us into Guantanamo country. It seems that he is in the midst of relieving his (understandable) anxieties when the disciplinarian Sergeant Vane arrives wearing his 'wet work' outfit and bringing rope and blood-curdling promises.

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 03

Jack, the hapless offender is released from his chain, but only to be trussed for punishment on a bloodstained table. Hopefully, the assorted implements on the bottom shelf mean the torments planned for him will be bloodless. 

The tight leg restraint shown here is a tie that has long excited me, going way back to the 'My Initiation' image. It's ultimately a demanding stress position and often features (without ropes) in wrestling contests. Tied like this, I doubt that Jack could achieve the back-lift shown, unaided.

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 05

Sgt Vane's ropework ultimately results in this neat shibari packaging coupled with suspension (again). The Sgt proceeds to torment imaginatively Jack's unprotected, vulnerable areas. 

This is a further example of Oztangle's interest in unusual, stressed positions for the male body which seemed to begin in 2021. Technically it's a significant advance from the simple X-Spreading deployed in Ed's Nightmare (see above) and several other Oz images.  For the observer this tight, self-contained restraint causes the erotic focus to shift from the body of the prisoner to the restraint mechanism. 

This tight relative of the hog-tie position is very hard to capture, even in photographs, so Oz has done well here. The eternal rendering problem of achieving a snug-looking fit with clothing and (here) rope doesn't prevent him from producing a great, stimulating image.

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 08

Sgt Vane is not without a sense of humour. He expounds the theory of chaotic movement as he swings Jack on the suspension chain with weights attached to his nipples and balls and going in different directions. Oz manages to capture a real sense of swinging movement in this picture and his contrasting characterisations of the two men work well too. The more subtle bdsm of this image lies in the tweaking of Jack's arms as he swings, heavily weighted on the chain.

Oztangles - Punishment Cell 10

Lesson learned,  Jack formally makes amends in the time-honoured, homoerotic way. 

Offering service while tied up is not uncommon in fetish imagery but I can't recall it being portrayed in quite this way before. Oz emphasises Jack's restraint and submissiveness, rather than the sexual exchange. This position, formally kneeling with head-bowed, departs from the usual 'oral' formula whereby the sucker is expected to look up at his master as though entranced with him and anxious to know that he's doing the job correctly.  

By contrast Jack's pose looks detached and rather dignified and it is intensely appealing.  

Oztangles - Five More Minutes

This image relies on a similar use of weights to torment, but with the focus on simple endurance rather than rough tugging. Once again, Oz does well to create a real impression of stretching with the captive forced to stand on tip-toes. It's a virtually inescapable form of restraint and immobilisation and it's pure simplicity heaps frustration on top for the captive. His agonised expression gives a real sense of that his thresholds are already being tested to the limit and the announcement (in the title) of an extension to his designated time is adding anger to his difficulties.

The tormentor's slightly unkempt and grizzled appearance contrasts with the college boy neatness of his test subject and predictably he's completely indifferent to the poor man's mute appeal. Characteristically abreast of the latest trends, Oz shows him taking a photo of his discomfort and helpless captivity. It adds a little twist of sadistic humiliation with the further threat of a public airing of his plight for the amusement of strangers - and possibly those who know him.

These two make an improbable couple, but Oz des not enlighten us on what has brought them together in this way.

Oztangles - The Night Before

This image may offer a clue to that puzzle. It seems to show the same older man, but dressed in an unexpectedly professional manner. He's approaching a younger street hustler who's neatly dressed and clean looking, but provocatively appealing. More fantasy than reality alas. He has a similar appearance to the prisoner in the preceding picture.

Oztangles - The Morning After

The companion image shows a very different outcome with both parties having ended up in a seedy hotel(?) room, naked and apparently unfulfilled. It harks back to the 2019 Night Clerk image which seemed to embody a similar sense of disillusion and disappointment. In another Oz reversal of the usual, depressing rules of life, it seems to be the prodigiously equipped young hunk who has not come up to the mark.

Oztangles - Imperial Guard

This is Oz's latest posting at Renderotica as I write. 

Here's to 2023!

Read this mitchmen series from Part 1

~

Oztangle's work is not always perfectly crafted but there a plenty of impressive highlights. He explores interesting bdsm themes but also more commonplace feelings which ordinary mortals can relate to.

There's an extensive collection of Oztangles at Renderotica which is free to join. The filters applied to some works don't always stop you viewing them, but they're not always as exciting as you might hope!