Dante Remy |
“Fetishizing liberates sexual desire.” – Jacques Lacan
Fetishism can be a powerful means for exploring and expressing human desire. For many, it is a means for understanding oneself and coping with the storm and stress of life. Rather than negative or shameful, the infinite variations and continua of fetishism are a valid and necessary aspect of human sexuality and individual expression. This is a fundamental difference between expression and repression: the former liberates, while the latter deprecates. Let us a consider the potential liberation through fetish, BDSM, and shibari.
Fetishism is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has been studied by scholars from a variety of fields, including psychology, sociology, and cultural studies. At its core, fetishism involves a tendency to become sexually aroused by non-human objects, body parts, or forms of practice that are not typically considered sexual in isolation. Consider a line of thick, red, rope on the shelf in a hardware store. While many envision utilitarian uses of the rope in domestic life, others may additionally see its potential in shibari, the use of tying and binding in sexual expression and intimacy. This divergent use and preference for rope is a legitimate means to explore and understand oneself consensually with another.
However, fetishism remains widely stigmatized and misunderstood by society at large.
Deep and intense intimacy is often a dimension of fetish practices. According to psychoanalytic theorists such as Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan, fetishism is a way for the individual to cope with feelings of power or powerlessness, desire and intimacy, an overly structured or unstructured life, and to gain a foothold on stress, anxiety or inadequacy. In many ways, acting on fetishism provides relief and satisfaction that cannot be achieved through mainstream practices. For Freud, the fetish object serves as a substitute for the unattainable desire that the individual is striving for, while for Lacan, the fetish object serves as a symbolic substitute for sexuality that the individual feels they lack. In this way, the fetish becomes a way for the individual to confront the reality of their desire, their mind and body, and their sexuality. In doing so, profound intimacy is experienced.
For centuries, artists and writers have explored fetishism as a theme in their work, seeking to challenge traditional norms and boundaries around sexuality and desire. Such creativity is becoming more mainstream, particularly in the past decade, with advances in technology and information sharing. One such artist is Alvaro Muñoz, known by his artist name Coax. Remember that rope, sitting on the shelf in the hardware store? In Coax’s illustrated story “Under Pressure,” shibari is used a means to gain relief and escape from the frustrations of the work day. In the story, a career woman gives herself over to the binding and tying by her partner, after a particularly stressful day at the office. This has clearly happened before, and the antidote has been found in a consensual dynamic involving rope.
This story, and many others, can be read in new comic book “The Collar and Other Fetish Stories” by Coax. The book’ uses comic art to push societal norms about consensual relationships and the power of fetishism to explore new depths of personal meaning and connection. It explores the power and psychology of fetish themes, the use of consensual bondage and shibari, and other fetish means in these dynamics and explorations.
Through the characters and stories in “The Collar and Other Fetish Stories,” Coax reflects the theories of fetishism and the complex interplay between desire, society, and identity. Using a lighthearted and playful tone, Coax depicts characters who explore and practice fetishism as a means of coping with their own desires, while at the same time, confronting the reality of those desires and the ways in which they are perceived by others.
One of the important themes that emerges from Coax’s work is the idea that fetishism can be a way of pushing against societal norms and expectations. Through their exploration of fetish objects and practices, the characters in Coax’s comics are challenging ideas of what is considered “normal” or “acceptable” in terms of sexuality and desire. Coax’s work helps to break down barriers and make taboo subject matter more accessible to a wider audience.
Coax’s use of comic art as a medium is especially effective in depicting the psychological and emotional landscape of intimate relationships, which is a common theme in his work. The characters in his comics are often quirky, idiosyncratic, and multi-dimensional, making it easier for readers to connect with them and see themselves reflected in their experiences. Additionally, the use of subtle humor and exploration helps to make taboo subjects more accessible to readers, allowing them to engage with challenging subject matter in a way that is both thoughtful and entertaining.
His stories often depict characters who exist within the mainstream of societal norms, and who are exploring their own sexuality and identity in unconventional ways considered taboo, including BDSM, gender identity, power dynamics, eroticism, fetishism, and kink culture. Through his work, Coax challenges traditional assumptions about relationships, sexuality, and gender, and encourages readers to question their own beliefs and predispositions. His comics are thought-provoking and thoughtfully crafted, and offer a unique perspective on topics that are often overlooked or stigmatized.
In addition to his exploration of taboo topics, Coax’s work also delves into the psychological and emotional landscape of intimate relationships. His stories often focus on the emotional connection between characters, and explore the complex dynamics that exist within intimate relationships. In doing so, Coax introduces difficult and controversial subjects in his work and offers a unique perspective on the human experience.
Fetishism remains a complex and widely misunderstood phenomenon, but artists and writers like Coax are helping to bring greater understanding and acceptance to the subject. Through his use of comic art, Coax is able to explore complex and taboo subjects in an innovative and accessible way, encouraging readers to engage with difficult topics in a thoughtful and reflective manner. Ultimately, Coax’s work highlights the importance of continuing the conversation around fetishism and its place in society.
©️2024 Dante Remy
Learn more about the words and art of Coax, and the comic book The Collar and Other Fetish Stories at Erosetti Press.
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