Following my IN PRAISE OF JUAN MAEDA'S ART blog post, above and below is a selection of Joseph Farrel's untitled artwork. Like Juan Maeda, not much is known about Joseph Farrel. But unlike Juan Maeda's artwork, I don't really like Joseph Farrel's artwork.
Not to be mistaken for Joseph Farrell the Roman Catholic priest, Joseph Farrell the Irish politician and Joseph Farrell the author, Joseph Farrel was an illustrator of BDSM scenes, whose work seemed to be most popular in the 1980s.
Despite his name, Joseph Farrel was French. I don't know his real name. And to be honest, I can't tell you whether he's dead or alive. Joseph Farrel seems to be the Banksy of the BDSM art world!
On the Medium website, Joseph Farrel was introduced as "the most extreme kink artist ever". Ayzad then wrote: "Like a modern-day de Sade, that artist tricked you into giving just a peek out of curiosity, then kicked you in the stomach with horrific violent imagery, then nursed you back with undeniably sexy elements, than made you question society and finally your own thoughts and character."
Having known Joseph Farrel, Christophe Bier, a French erotica connoisseur, wrote a book simply titled Farrel. But Christophe Bier sheds little light on the life and work of Joseph Farrel. Bier claimed that Farrel led "his discreet life, with his wife", he "never took himself seriously and ... never sought to get out of the dying network of sex shops" and he "always drew for his own pleasure".
In another piece about Joseph Farrel appearing in the Shunga Gallery Erotic Art Magazine, the erotic art expert Marijn Krujiff wrote: "To better understand his work and imagination we've to better understand the artist.... Although he was (maybe still is) a practicing sadomasochist, who frequently visited BDSM clubs in Paris, built a lot of play instruments such as paddles, crops or wooden dildo's [sic], his real life was nothing like the dark fantasies portrayed in his drawings. For the self-taught Farrel, drawing has always been an outlet, in which he could express a violence he didn't want to experience in real life.... Therefore, it's important to distinguish the man and his fantasies." There are too many red flags here for my liking!
Do you like Joseph Farrel's artwork?
As mentioned, though there are a couple of pieces of his artwork I like, I'm not a big fan of Joseph Farrel's artwork. It's because of the sadistic humiliation involved. Sadism and humiliation have never been part of my sexual repertoire apart from some consenting spanks given and received and apart from a little dirty talk also given and received. Consent, or lack of consent, seems to be key in appreciating Joseph Farrel's artwork.
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19 comments
Nothing artistic about it. Disturbing knowing a human mind works like that. Notice pic 2. It is torture. Nothing good, sexy, alluring ot titillating about it. Maybe to a depraved mind. Erotic is one thing, pain, torture, mutilation is another. I am no shrink but I see someone in dire need of one.
I think he is a talented artist even if his artwork shocks people. But like you, I don't like his art because of what it represents.
All you see is pain being inflicted. Nothing erotic. Nah. No thanks.
That seems to be the general consensus of opinion here.
Interesting to me that all the art is showing what i would consider to be painful and violent acts to women...have to admit, after the first few, I had no desire to look at the others...maybe he did do art that showed painful and violent acts to men? In any case, it's not appealing to me on any level. I know it is to some...to each their own.
As far as I'm aware, Joseph Farrel did no art where men were the subjects of sadistic humiliation. That's the main reason I can't like his artwork.
I do not like any artwork that depicts forced, pain, humiliation, etc ....
Many here aren't liking his artwork.
Not my kind of art.
Nor mine.
i don't like his artwork either.
There's quite a few here sharing your viewpoint.
It's some interesting artwork too, not my thing honestly. I hope you enjoy a fun filled Saturday my friend..
It's not my thing either.
Wow, S!
I don't quite know how to put it into words, but what that form of art represents really touches me deeply...
I've done some of those things, at a much lower level, and I absolutely loved it!
But when the time comes to talk about this on my blog, I know I’ll have to be especially careful with what I write ... you know what I mean.
The images are raw but very evocative, and they capture really well what some particularly kinky erotic experiences are like, even though I haven't actually tried everything shown in those pictures... but almost.
I absolutely loved this post, thank you.
I'll look forward to reading about your exploits in your carefully worded blog posts.