Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Otokono

Otokono (also known as Bo) is the last of my 'O's. Fetish is a bit of a sideline for him but I thought these pictures of robotic assailants are interesting. They form part of a group in which some of the images are fanciful 'toys' entirely under the control of their lustful users but they are wearing wristbands which hint at the possibility of restraint. In other pictures that restraint is explicit, the robots are in control.

Otokono - Chained for Pleasuring

It's no surprise to see 'big' men from a Japanese artist and there's a slight family resemblance to Tagame's men but without the body hair. The man struggles with his chains, sweat pouring from his body and forming pools at his feet. It's not clear if he is succumbing to his sensuality or trying to escape from the probing of his body, but he clearly doesn't have access to the 'off' switch. Bo's command of anatomy shows through despite the cartoony style and it's nice to see the robot attachments detailed so carefully.

Otokono - Held Tight

The second image is less ambiguous. The victim's struggle in the firm grip of the machine is even more convincing here but you can see he has the remote control in his hand. Or perhaps that is for the television, this robot has a camera recording the penetration in close up. I have no idea what the object in his mouth is or why it is so complex and organic-looking.

Otokono has a big site with lots of examples of his work at Bo's Gallery

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Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Osze

Osze has an easily recognised style and has been widely published in the commercial press - for example in the 'Meatmen' series of comic anthologies. He always draws big, muscular men like the engineer depicted in 'The Basement' title page below.

Osze - The Basement

This is a raunchy picture which captures young masculinity very well and I like it, not least for the cock-hugging dungarees. The subject's facial features (e.g. nose and mouth) are strangely undersized whereas the arm and body muscles (and other equipment of course!) are highly exaggerated. These are perfectly legitimate artistic techniques, but there's a hardness about the muscle shadowing that to me seems to somehow obscure the sensuality and shape of the body. The artist Cavelo also does this and I struggle with his work too.

Osze - Chandelier 1

In this Chandelier torture above Osze captures the drama of the situation, the victim's indignity and his pain amazingly well. The eye is drawn immediately to the 'attached' end of the slanting rope which forms one corner of a classic triangle shape and this composition creates a visual 'upwards' signal too. I find it fascinating how the detail of the chandelier is lovingly, precisely crafted in this picture - in contrast to the rather casual treatment of the figure in the background. The mechanics of directing the dripping candle wax onto it's target appear to defy gravity but Osze neatly introduces a separate slanting background wall to deceive the eye.

Osze - Chandelier 2

The second example is equally Gothic in concept. The threat from the vicious-looking 'Pit and the Pendulum' axe is probably less severe than it first appears (as long as that rope holds out!) The blindfolded victim can't actually see it of course, but it forms part of an interesting use of slanting lines, including also a jet of recycled beer, all angled towards the captive at the focus of the composition, emphasising his helpless isolation.

These two pictures give a sense of the intensity in his comic stories, the muscle men end up having sex which is raunchy and sometimes brutal. They are totally engrossing once you get into them. It's a bit like watching humanoid beasts rutting and he captures an earthy lustfulness you won't find in most porn films.

There is an entry for Osze at Tom of Finland Foundation but the link doesn't seem to work. Googling 'Osze gay artist' turns up examples posted on other blogs although some I looked at were corrupted as well. Information from readers welcome

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Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Osamu

Osamu's work is an uncompromising mixture of sex and domination embellished with magnificent cocks and agonised expressions of captive victims. Despite his Japanese name the faces of his protagonists, particularly the captives, are western in character as in the first example which is possibly his best known image.

Osamu - Bondage Fantasy

I have called this 'bondage fantasy' because it seems to explore ideas of captivity and domination in a fairly abstract way without an identifiable setting or narrative. The captive's youthful swirl of blond hair seems curiously at odds with his chunky, mature build but Osamu's pictures always show adult males.

Osamu - POW abuse

The scenarios are often military in nature, with uniforms suggesting the torture of POW's from WW2 and further back in history. The activities depicted don't go beyond sexual abuse, but the staves and whips wielded by the attackers offer ample explanation for the unmistakeable pain in the victim's face.

Pulp Fiction Image - POW atrocity
In the aftermath of the second world war, memories of the atrocities committed and humiliations heaped on enemies were perpetuated for many years by popular fiction and films in highly stereotypical form, as in the pulp fiction image shown above (not by Osamu). My readers will not miss the erotic element in this picture and Osamu's images from the same period seem to reclaim the stereotype and defiantly celebrate it. I think fetish enthusiasts will intuitively recognise the psychology at work here, even if we couldn't explain it!

Osamu - POW abused 2

It's the bondage element that is the central appeal of these pictures and Osamu has a knack for making the captivity look convincing, loaded with danger and humiliation for the struggling victim. The water colour based technique speaks for itself, it is accomplished (despite some anatomical oddities!) and typical of it's time.

I don't have a link for Osamu but would welcome information from readers, the archives of GMBA (current link in sidebar) are always worth a look. Good sources for Gay Fetish Asian Art in particular are Jeunes and Tagame. For those interested in comic depictions of POW scenes I recommend a visit to Aquadude's fascinating archives.

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Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Orez

I only have one picture by Orez in my collection but I'm sure he must have produced more, it's quite apparent that he has a well developed technique.

This image has a number of memorable erotic motifs of which the most obvious is the 'Beauty and the Beast' theme (or perhaps it should be youth and age?) The older, kneeling man is a veritable satyr seemingly covered in hair and the embodiment of lust. The portrayal of his captive does not suggest innocence either, the pugnacious face, nipple ring and clumpy boots all suggest he is an tough, experienced hand - but possibly not quite prepared for this ordeal.

Orez - Tree Stump
A powerful sense of threat is produced by the caveman-style, spiked club and the array of various sharp-edged tools scattered around. Orez pushes the menace right to the edge without quite resorting to Greasetank-style explicitness. The bondange depicted is refreshingly uncomplicated, but still chillingly effective - the young man's manhood is uncompromisingly secured to the flat top of a symbolically saw-off tree-stump. Tom of Finland also employed lumberjack images involving sawn off trees but as far as I can recall he never made this freudian association (although he certainly flirts with the threat of mutilation in later work).

I generally prefer lusher, prettier styles but this spiky, pen and ink technique adds a sense of uncontrolled, spontaneous horror to the image through association with the historic depictions of genuine atrocities and punishments - by Goya for example.

I don't have a link for Orez but would welcome more information from readers

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Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Olaf

Olaf was a prominent illustrator for magazines like Drummer in the 80's and his work is much admired for it's technical skill and detail, typified by the Inquisitive Cop picture below.

Olaf - Inquisitive Cop (my title)
There's an element of tribute to Tom of Finland here, in the cop's face for example. The amazing detail in the tweaking hand suggests a photographic reference which is legitimate in my view as long as there is 'added value' by the artist.

Olaf - Slave's Gambit

Many of his pictures hint at fetish subjects without depicting anything very specific, no doubt a consequence of commercial constraints. The enema example here is an exception and it makes a dramatic statement. Technically there's quite a contrast between this picture and the previous example with somewhat muddy detail in the mid-section. It almost looks as though two different poses have been 'married' together. I must say, however, that the treatment of the bound hands is excellent.

Olaf - Devils 3

The final example is completely different, one of a series in which two devils ravish a man in a churchyard. To me this is a glimpse of the real Olaf, full of spontenaity and excitement, and unashamedly glorying in lust and eroticism. The blobby shaped background is a bit odd but in this picture technical correctness simply doesn't matter, it expresses it's subject with great panache and life, qualities which are rather less apparent in his 'better' art.

I don't know of a specific site for Olaf.

There are small exhibitions of his work at Erotic Art Collection and at Gay Erotic Art Links

You can also get a book of his work - just Google 'Olaf Gay Artist'.

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Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Okawa

I cannot talk about Okawa's art without observing that it is unmistakeably Japanese. The delicacy of style and colouring has some kinship to modern day Kimura, but unlike that artist there is absolutely no westernisation of the faces, or the clothing (Okawa often uses traditional loincloths and headbands) or the settings, which feature pine trees and even cherry blossom!

Okawa 031 Snowbound (N.B. all titles are mine)

From a fetish point of view the most interesting manifestation of these influences are the pictures where the captive is left outside exposed to the elements - rain, snow, the sea etc. I can't think of any other artist who has explored this theme so interestingly. Of course depicting water in it's various forms presents technical challenges but Okawa acquits himself well. 

Okawa 04 Shipbound

There is one exception to the 'Westernisation' discussion , at one point in his career Okawa seems to have been influenced by Tom of Finland whose bikers in leather jackets (above) and tight jeans with turn-ups start to appear in the supporting cast. Okawa captives are transplanted into Tom-like settings and even the drawing style echoes Tom. I'm cautious about the authenticity of these drawings but it's an interesting group.

Okawa 51L Treetied

Generally speaking Okawa's captives are not naked, in accordance with the mores of the time, but he usually skillfully fills the boy's loincloths with erotic bulges, sometimes accentuated and enhanced by carefully placed bindings (see other pictures in this article). 

The example of frontal nudity above is almost unique in my collection (a few other images I have appear to have been censored) and the stretched, beautifully depicted genitals show what we have missed out on. The suspended victim and his beating with a stave are typical Okawa themes and leave us wondering if this is austere family discipline, military - or something more sinister. Okawa doesn't shrink from violence and some pictures show the bloody aftermath, but it's not gory.

Many of his young men (as here) are characterised with soft, slightly fleshy, almost feminine faces and while this is absolutely authentic, for me personally it is less erotically appealing than, say, Hasegawa's leaner look or Tagame's brutal looking protagonists, which stand at the other end of the facial spectrum. In this picture the cropped hair helps and I must admit, that I do like fleshiness in the body styling. I shouldn't leave this picture without pointing out the graceful leg lines and well-drawn feet.

Okawa 05b Crucified

The same characteristics can be seen in the 'crucifixion' image. In this picture the skillful use of lighting and perspective stand out, but don't miss the complex rope patterns and securing nuts which are clearly and convincingly captured. I love the hairy legs too. The triangular wedge between the victims legs is perhaps an over-enthusiastic elaboration. It produces a nice division of the testicles but I suspect the victim is too well supported to feel it's full divisive effect.

Okawa 31L - Tied and Beaten

At the end of the day Okawa is a bondage artist and the final image exemplifies this. Even today, in an era awash with male bondage imagery, it is simply stunning in it's quality, beauty and impact. The rope tethering the victim to a nearby tree or post greatly increases the psychological effect.

Okawa is one of the great fetish artists.

There's a decent selection of Okawa's work at Japanese Gay Art (Mar 2018)
I believe there are books available and Google will throw up more examples.

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Mitchell's A-Z of Fetish Artists - Oda

Oda Toshimi is one of those artists known for a particular striking image, or in his case a set of images, depicting the punishment of a captured Japanese soldier during the Sino-Japanese war. The captive is subjected to a variety of tortures while onlookers jeer and laugh.

Oda - Captive slung on a pole

I picked this example, partly for the unusual cigarette torture, but also because of the depiction of captive transportation. There is something highly erotic about a tied man being carried off from the scene of his capture to another place where he can expect to be abused. The usual technique is for the hunky captor to sling his acquisition over his shoulder, caveman style. This method, suspended from a pole carried between two men, is favoured for a heavy or struggling victim and is much beloved of Tarzan scenarios, but otherwise quite unusual. It suggests the victim is prized and/or dangerous, (if not necessarily destined for the stewpot!)

The style of the pictures with their soft colours and flattened perspective is distinctive, but I can't see any clear cut link to traditional Oriental art. The characterful faces and explicitly detailed tortures make the images memorable. They are often put forward as example of classic, post war (WW2) Japanese erotic art. However, there are some interesting features.

The naked captive is muscular and handsome, but leaving aside the generous erection which he maintains thoughout his ordeal, the youthful, innocent way he is depicted makes him seem almost like a martyr in the context of the drawing. His tormentors include women and all their faces are caricatured in a Hogarthian way to show their hatred of the captive and amusement over his fate. However, they are all fully dressed in heavy clothes and there is not the slightest hint of sexuality in the way they are depicted, despite being engaged in genital tortures. Their interest in the victim is limited to jeering his erection and punishing it.

It almost lends a flavour of historical realism to the picture with a political jab at the barbarian Chinese thrown in for good measure. Perhaps it's only a sophisticated form of masochism where the victim is not even desired by his torturers. It has to be judged by the standards of it's era, which I am not qualified to do. Certainly the representation doesn't stand in the way of enjoyment for fetish enthusiasts.

I don't have a link but you can find a couple of articles about Oda via Google

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