Publication Date

1-1-2020

Document Type

Drawing

Legacy Department

School of Art

Abstract

This collection of work was created to draw attention to a side of the bondage-dominance-sadism-masochism, or BDSM, community that is usually portrayed as unwilling victims in mainstream media. The subs and masochists of the BDSM community are not victims caught by sick and twisted sadists who are secretly serial killers, like pop culture would have you believe. They enter relationships willingly and happily, which I represent through a calm and serene surrogate character. She is there because she wants to be, not because anyone is making her, and she is enjoying herself while she's there. Additionally, I chose to represent BDSM in a more chaste light. Contrary to popular belief, BDSM is not exclusively sexual. It can be practiced in nonsexual ways that serve as coping mechanisms. This isn’t to say that the sexual practices and coping mechanisms are mutually exclusive, but that I chose to focus on the chaste and nonsexual for my work. Daily life can be overwhelming with its responsibilities, and society can be scary with its expectations, while BDSM can provide a temporary escape where one can recuperate and enjoy themselves. BDSM is supposed to be safe, sane, and consensual, with no victims or unwilling participants, and used for pleasure and comfort. These are the main three points I hope to convey with my collection.

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Media Type

Image||Text

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