Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Martin of Holland

Martin of Holland has covered most aspects of fetish in his long career, but he is particularly noted for his highly explicit contributions to the more specialised arenas such as scat, mutilation and violent death. His best pictures have an arresting, sexual intensity that demands that you look, even if you are not sure you like what you see.

Martin of Holland - Fluid ExchangeMuch of his work is drawn in outline only but when adds shading or colour they acquire a striking sense of depth and the skin textures take on a soft sheen which is very sensual. 'Fluid exchange' shows the effect. This picture is unusually romantic for Martin, but even so, it oozes with lust while the cuffs and the hand grasping the back of the captive's head give a subtle 'edge'.

Tom's influence can be sensed here and also in the early '70's pictures which have bikers, sailors, woodland settings etc. and sometimes reinterpret Tom-like themes. Martin of Holland also has a similar story telling approach which causes you to linger and examine what is going on in the picture, although his 'stories' are usually infused with a sense of lust, fear or danger that Tom never employed.

Martin of Holland - Back Of My Truck

In 'Back of my Truck' which is later, the Latino captor has Kake's jawline and physique but the other characters are more typical of Martin of Holland's men. They have distinctive, sometimes angular faces, with prominent fleshy lips, snub noses and dark eyes. They bear a family resemblance to those of his Dutch compatriot Wilhelm Kok (Dorus). The bodies have a slender, long-limbed elegance of line and, though stylised, are more realistic in their proportions than the average muscle hunk drawing. In fact, Martin generally underplays the detail of musculature so that his men appear to have a youthful, natural appearance.

This scenario of the smooth, young captive apparently facing unpleasant treatment from an older, stronger man is pure Martin of Holland and a theme that recurs throughout his work evolving into something much stronger.

Martin of Holland - Enema

The same domination/youth education flavour is also present in 'Enema'. The artist formalises the irrigation process into an intimidating procedure using laboratory style tanks and industrial grade piping. He brings out the reactions of the 'patient' who though chained to the platform is free to writhe in his discomfort for the erotic pleasure of the hooded attendant. This work is a mild example of Martin of Holland's interest in things anal, which extends to scat and this theme becomes increasingly explicit in his later work.

Martin of Holland - Rent A Slave

In 'Rent a Slave', the youth (with attitude, judging by his haircut) has been transformed into an helpless sex object, his clothes ripped off and body strapped. His prospective partner is older and hyper-masculine. He exudes strength, debauchery and excess. The angular face we saw earlier on has evolved into an almost deranged, demonic appearance giving the picture a sinister atmosphere.

Martin of Holland - Buddies

Martin of Holland's pictures have the great virtue of simplicity, he tends to focus on one idea and portray it, and all it's erotic potential, explicitly and clearly. There may be multiple participants but they are all involved in the same process. Unlike other artists he glories in the reactions of the recipient (willing or not) of the treatment. This is particularly effective in scenes in which a group of male captives queue to suffer the same unpleasant fate. In the buddy 'event' shown here, two naked men relaxing in a domestic setting are attacked, apparently by intruders. The appealing eroticism of their arching bodies in the context of violence and danger is thought provoking and disturbing. When Martin of Holland chooses to visit more extreme areas he doesn't pull his punches, it is very explicit and in your face and portrayed in almost clinical detail.

Postscript
Sadly, Martin died in 2011. I am grateful for his help in the preparation of this article.
His site at Ziggo has gone but you can find out more at Delft Boys

Martin's work can also be found at GMBA (see sidebar for link).

To see earlier posts in this series click A-Z in the label list below

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Marquis

Marquis - Indian

Marquis produced some striking bondage images in the 90's. He has an instantly recognisable, softly pencilled style which is almost academic in nature. His subjects typically have slender arching bodies with major muscle groups well defined somewhat in the style of an anatomical drawing. Their faces have a slightly Asiatic flavour, with pronounced cheek bones and chins, dark eyes and fleshy lips.

Marquis - 'Fence' series

These men are shown tied to posts, gates, saddles etc., struggling with their bonds or turning away from an unseen attacker, their heads flung back. The single figure compositions lend themselves to elegant images and Marquis has an eye for positions which are satisfying both erotically and artistically. The viewer is invited to linger and examine the helpless captive before him, to fantasise about what might be done to him.

Marquis - 'Nightstick' series

The nightstick picture shows how Marquis' approach to drawing which is based on building up the structure of the body rather than observing it's overall shape gets him into trouble with angled heads. It also leads him to include fine detail like lines between teeth for example and the knobbly bits of fingers which are normally not noticeable. However, this picture has another sort of cleverness about it - count the hands! This image can be related to other work by Marquis which links his bondage images to more self-consciously arty imagery like picture frames, Greek urns - and multi-armed Asian gods.

Marquis' work does not have the sensuality, earthiness or drama that the most successful fetish artists achieve but his best images have an artistic beauty which will always secure him a place in the hall of fame.

Marquis now (Jan 2013) has his own blog at marquisbdsm.tumblr.com 

The other place to look for his work is at the GMBA archives (latest link in sidebar)

To see earlier posts in this series click A-Z in the label list below

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Marc

Marc is another artist with morbid interests and he is as single-minded as Mahoney but focussed on execution by hanging rather than crucifixion. In Marc's pictures, groups of men are usually suffering the same fate, apparently voluntarily in some cases. 

 

 

I don't have many examples of his work and those I have are fuzzy copies. They are drawn in great detail, including the background locations and the intensely naturalistic style is disturbingly authentic looking - particularly when he appears to be depicting mass military executions as here. The distant viewpoints and small scale means little can be made of the victims beyond kicking legs and voluminous ejaculations. The poses of the executioners, however, are given some thought, be they hauling on the ropes, looking on casually or intimately sharing the victims' last moments. 

 

A fascination with the supposed association between violent death and sexual excitement is not uncommon - as a survey of tabloid headlines would sadly reveal. It's not that difficult to understand and Marc addresses the subject with a directness which is fascinating but unsettling.

 

I cannot recall where I found these images, probably the best place to look for his work is at the GMBA archives (latest link in sidebar) but there is also a group called Gay Noose which specialises in this fetish.

To see earlier posts in this series click A-Z in the label list below

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Manflesh

Manflesh is one of my favourite artists and I can't resist giving him a more extended review than usual. He draws the most delicious, hunky men in capture and kidnap situations where they are tormented and abused, physically and sexually.

Manflesh - Cop Enslaved (cover art)

 

Cop enslaved is a good example. It's a comic book cover, the type of art for which he is best known. His men are stereotypical hunks with handsome faces and virile occupations such as cops (as above) but also soldiers, sportsmen, etc. In the stories which Manflesh illustrates, these men start out full of arrogance and bravado, clad in evocative male outfits that bulge under the pressure of their contents but these are soon removed or ripped off as they begin their new lives in captivity.

 

Manflesh - Butt Fighter (Cover art)

 

The men have muscular physiques, usually the bulky kind with plump pecs, exaggerated nipples and chunky sexual organs to match.

 

Manflesh - All Sales are Final (Cover detail)

 

The comeuppance of these enviable beasts is an essential part of the enjoyment and Manflesh is good at depicting their surprise and indignation as they are overcome and subsequently reduced to blubbering fear. I find this highly erotic.

 

Manflesh - Lt Steele

 

The process of control is comprehensive, the naked slaves are put to work and used as beasts of burden, encouraged by brutal whippings and other punishments from their captors. But this is mere preparation for their principal role as sexual servants. In pursuance of this, their impressive male bodily attributes may be modified, enhanced, diminished or even converted into cavities for the pleasure of their abusers. We only see the end result I'm glad to say. The semi-caricaturing style ensures that the reader is able to feel little sympathy for these fallen idols.

 

Manflesh - Fighters
 

Control and humiliation of male beauty is the underlying theme and Manflesh does it better than most. His illustrations are intensely physical and his interest in male fighting and wrestling is reflected in a series of line only pictures on this specific subject. The theme is also evident in his mainstream work as well (see Rugby Lion). 

 

Manflesh - Rugby Lion

 

The figures are simply outlined in ink and the details and volume shading are added using a colourful painting technique which looks like watercolours and is virtually unique in my knowledge of fetish art. The style looks rushed, sketchy and casual and sometimes the colours are a bit garish, but he still manages to produce the most astonishingly real faces and succulent (unreal!) body parts particularly on the cover pages for his stories. The inner pages are more cartoon like, less refined in style than the average comic book, but peppered with sensuous imagery and infused with a sense of drama and movement.

See more at the Manflesh blog. He used to be published through the late Barrett Cole's website and pictures were still on view there last time I looked, but the stories are now being offered at battle-annals. There are also samples of his work at the Tom of Finland Foundation galleries (link in sidebar)

Visit the Manflesh Exhibition at mitchmen blog

To see earlier posts in this series click A-Z in the label list below

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Malex

Malex produces images which range from mild 'hazing' to amazing explorations of the death experience. In Mahoney's pictures the threat of death hangs as a terrible finale but Malex takes you by the hand and walks you though the door.

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Malex - Frat Hazing (my title)

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The Frat Hazing picture here is a fairly mild example but the evil pleasure etched on the face of the blond spanker is typical of the sense of malice that runs though his work. His young men can be handsome and muscular jocks, skinny, bony geeks or anything in-between. You can see that there is an interest in musculature and the detail of hands and feet but although the men's bodies and clothes are well detailed the volumes are not fleshed out by shading.

The dark wash of black in the background, a comic book technique, is characteristic of his work and although it is used fairly crudely it adds a good sense of depth and drama. The treatment of the side table is more sophisticated.

Malex - Weight Training (my title)

The vindictive intent is equally apparent in this well known weight training picture, the muscular jock is one of Malex's more sensual creations and the situation more obviously erotic with a strong man being forced into demeaning activity. The black arching roof presses down on him too.

Although older men appear occasionally as authority figures, the teens who comfortably populate the fraternity and college pictures are a central feature of his work. It becomes more disturbing when they appear in execution and torture scenarios with older men as guards and executioners. Malex has illustrated a wide variety of execution scenes, generally bloodless and apparently painless too. The Block (below) is a fair representation of this scenario, shocking but darkly erotic.

Malex - The Block

His most challenging works are protracted scenes in which young men are cajoled and bullied into allowing themselves to be executed as a punishment for a minor infringement - or even as a sexual experience, giving the artist the opportunity to explore the fear, power play and supposed erotic excitement which accompanies death. He does not spare us the calculating pleasure and excitement of the executioner, which is spelt out in unequivocal terms.

Malex is a versatile and inventive chronicler of malicious intent, the mitchmen motto 'putting men in their place' could not be more appropriate although Malex pushes the boundaries further than most. His explorations of death are unique. The youth of his victims is naturally more disturbing, but the sketchy drawing technique (which does not represent the full extent of his illustrative skills) takes some of the edge away. Hollywood, of course, has no such scruples when comes to death and erotic violence. 

There's a further article on the Sci Fi Art of Malex

The gallery of his work I found in 2013 (see comments) has now been removed
There's presently (2017) a small display at malesmpractices
 
He can usually be found on sites and groups dealing with more extreme fetish interests 
such as nooses and crucifixion but these come and go. 

The other place to look for his work is at the GMBA archives 
(see sidebar for current GMBA link which changes from time to time)

To see earlier posts in this series click A-Z in the label list below

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Mahoney

Mahoney's work is very simply summed up - the crucifixion of naked men. Within this narrow field he explores the detailed process by which this form of torture and execution is carried out.

Mahoney - Raising The Crosspiece

The proceedings are nearly always seen from a distance, often looking down over the heads of the spectators. The reactions of the victims as the punishment proceeds - fear, horror, pain, despair - are portrayed quite well within the limitations of the drawing's scale but naturally they don't have the same impact as Mack's more intimate close-ups.

Mahoney - Outside the City Walls

Apart from facial expressions, the victim's reactions are self contained for the most part and we are simply witnessing the effects of a punishment sanctioned by the community (sometimes evidenced by the presence of uniformed executioners or plaques naming the victim's crime). The settings are detached from our reality, showing arid landscapes and walled cities, sometimes Roman soldiers and men in turbans are present. This biblical setting may be simply intended to give realism or perhaps suggest that the victim has met an undeserved but inevitable fate.

Although they are naked, he usually does not depict his victims in an overtly erotic way. They may be young or mature but their bodies are thin and wiry so the rib cages and breast bones and the muscles of the legs for example are clearly visible. In the absence of close-ups there is no visual sensuality. We are not invited to glory in the destruction of the beautiful man or sympathise with their suffering.

Mahoney - Shaking

The example shown above is a bit of an exception, the victim's unruly hair suggests a villainous character while the shading of his muscular body gives it volume and sexuality. He struggles to escape, shaking the whole cross. The spittle flying from his mouth suggests belligerent defiance or panic. The soldiers look on with contemptuous, casual interest.

Mahoney does sometimes suggest an erotic intention, the victim's clothes shown being removed, being impaled by his rectum or showing a twitch of sexual arousal but in general the pictures are concerned with portraying a process which cannot be experienced in real life and the eroticism is left to the viewer's leanings.

There's a good selection of his work at the MCR Group

To see earlier posts in this series click A-Z in the label list below

Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Mack

Mack - Blond Tourist

You can find pictures by Mack which are studies of male beauty in which handsome subjects are shown in attractive everyday clothing. It comes as something of a shock to find his fetish pictures where the same beautiful men are stripped naked, tied down and subjected to cruel tortures. His pictures are not dark or violent like Macbeth's but intimate studies of fear and helpless suffering. The expressions of agony are carefully crafted and lest you be in any doubt about their pain, even tears may be flowing.

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Mack - Collar

Unlike Macbeth, the torturer is just an accessory in all this, he is often not shown at all or may be represented by just a hand. His motivation and feelings are irrelevant and unknown except that he has a preference for complex and unusual ways of inflicting pain.

Mack - The Match

The men are well drawn with detail like eyebrows and chest hair realistically shown. Their faces could be those of models but there is a degree of ordinariness about their appearance, their bodies are not muscular but they are trim and defined. The objects used in their torture are equally well drawn. Mack sometimes using a pointilistic technique which demonstrates a trained hand.

It's difficult to sum up Mack's work. The subject matter is shocking but whereas other artists seem to be expressing a fairly blunt anger and revenge in their pictures the overwhelming sense you get from Mack's best work is of intense personal pain. It gives his work it's own special niche

The best place to look for his work is at the GMBA archives (latest link in sidebar)

To see earlier posts in this series click A-Z in the label list below