For my project I didn’t just want to talk about the subculture I wanted to actually indulge and take up every part of it. So I made the decision to visit the club and and film and shoot there. In hopes of finding someone to fully get into (lol no pun intended) I just want to hear how they feel about the scene and its progression. To make it full loop, tying it to my thesis. I will be interviewing however I meet at this club. Asking them how do they feel and getting to know how they feel all while taking photos. Hopefully I could get tied up or they could teach me. Im basically proving my thesis correct. That these people aren’t freaks and they seem to be happier than most.

How could BDSM (particularly in the Gay Leather men Community) improve character traits and even personality traits ? I believe that this practice could improve human traits due to the fact that BDSM is abbreviated for Bondage, Dominance/ Discipline, Submission and Masochism to mentally and physically bear that weight takes a lot, knowing your boundaries (of course this is not final, I will develop a better understanding of it all as I continue my research). Although according to some sex experts BDSM could actually destroy a person. Quoted by Judy Kuriansky, a sex psychologist, says, “There is a triumvirate of guilt, embarrassment, and fear of intimacy for these people… It’s rare that all of the sudden they can give up on being interested in pain and suddenly capable of being loved.” (instead of progressive thing, it’s actually a set back)

Research:

• Leather Subculture: Wearing leather garments is one way that participants in this culture self-consciously distinguish themselves from mainstream sexual cultures. Many people associate leather culture with BDSM practices and its many subcultures. But for others, wearing black leather clothing is an erotic fashion that expresses heightened masculinity or the appropriation of sexual power; love of motorcycles, motorcycle clubs and independence; and/or engagement in sexual kink or leather fetishism.

• In Europe younger men have combined the aesthetic and exploration of sexual power with the gay skinhead movement and social-fraternal organizations like BLUF, from the late 1970s.
• How many people are into S&M? According to researchers, the number likely falls somewhere between 2 percent and 62 percent. Australians whether they had “been involved in B&D or S&M” in the past 12 months. 2.2 percent of men said yes. 🙁
• Christian Joyal and colleagues (2015) asked over men about their sexual fantasies. 53.3 percent of men reported fantasies about being dominated sexually—and 59.6 percent of men reported fantasies about dominating someone sexually.
• BDSM practitioners had lower levels of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological sadism, psychological masochism, borderline pathology, and paranoia.
• Andreas Wismeijer and Marcel van Assen (2013) compared BDSM practitioners to non-BDSM-practitioners on major personality traits. Their results showed that in comparison to non-practitioners, BDSM practitioners exhibited higher levels of extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and subjective well-being. Practitioners also showed lower levels of neuroticism and rejection sensitivity.
• The Eagle
• The Rabbit Hole <3
• The leather men culture has diminished and modernized is that cool or harmful. Does it derail from its original purpose?

The book that i would be working with is the electronic zine curated by creative queer youth called “The Messy Heads” here in New York City.

My Work/ Thoughts:

I want to create an actual sculpture that would be made of wire and fabric.

Materials:

-Pens, Markers, Fabric, Wire, Hot Glue, Paper, Gems and Cardboard.

(include text)

Getting my thoughts out!

I want to further this idea that BDSM could better communication skills or personal traits but I also want to include a certain kind of BDSM; the Leather Gay Men community. Some Inspirations: Tom Finland, Robert Mapplethorpe.

Questions:

1. Could practicing BDSM improve communication skills ?
2. Do people who practice suffer from childhood trauma ?

Research:

• Leather Subculture: Wearing leather garments is one way that participants in this culture self-consciously distinguish themselves from mainstream sexual cultures. Many people associate leather culture with BDSM practices and its many subcultures. But for others, wearing black leather clothing is an erotic fashion that expresses heightened masculinity or the appropriation of sexual power; love of motorcycles, motorcycle clubs and independence; and/or engagement in sexual kink or leather fetishism.

• In Europe younger men have combined the aesthetic and exploration of sexual power with the gay skinhead movement and social-fraternal organizations like BLUF, from the late 1970s.
• How many people are into S&M? According to researchers, the number likely falls somewhere between 2 percent and 62 percent. Australians whether they had “been involved in B&D or S&M” in the past 12 months. 2.2 percent of men said yes. 🙁
• Christian Joyal and colleagues (2015) asked over men about their sexual fantasies. 53.3 percent of men reported fantasies about being dominated sexually—and 59.6 percent of men reported fantasies about dominating someone sexually.
• BDSM practitioners had lower levels of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological sadism, psychological masochism, borderline pathology, and paranoia.
• Andreas Wismeijer and Marcel van Assen (2013) compared BDSM practitioners to non-BDSM-practitioners on major personality traits. Their results showed that in comparison to non-practitioners, BDSM practitioners exhibited higher levels of extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience, and subjective well-being. Practitioners also showed lower levels of neuroticism and rejection sensitivity.

Thesis Statement:

• How could BDSM (particularly in the Gay Leather men Community) improve character traits and even personality traits ? I believe that this practice could improve human traits due to the fact that BDSM is abbreviated for Bondage, Dominance/ Discipline, Submission and Masochism to mentally and physically bear that weight takes a lot, knowing your boundaries (of course this is not final, I will develop a better understanding of it all as I continue my research). Although according to some sex experts BDSM could actually destroy a person. Quoted by Judy Kuriansky, a sex psychologist, says, “There is a triumvirate of guilt, embarrassment, and fear of intimacy for these people… It’s rare that all of the sudden they can give up on being interested in pain and suddenly capable of being loved.” (instead of progressive thing, it’s actually a set back)

Sources:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/out-the-ordinary/200904/whats-dangerous-about-bdsm

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-wide-wide-world-psychology/201502/the-surprising-psychology-bdsm%3famp

I chose my lips because all my life Ive been told I had huge lips and even times Ive been bullied for having huge lips but as time grew Ive grown to appreciate my lips. Also as a person of color, we are recognized for our exaggerated  features. This is theIntegumentary system. The skin has an important job of protecting the body and acts as the body’s first line of defense against infection, temperature change, and other challenges to homeostasis.For this assignment we were asked to do an abstract interpretation of a body part. I chose to do my lips. For this assignment I wanted to use wire mesh because I felt like I would be able to bend and form the wire to the way I wanted it to be so that I could my sculpture form, volume and density. I used the wood just for the teeth, I didn’t know how else to use while staying true to my design. I used wire to make connections. I would definitely make many changes. Due to financial issues I couldn’t really do what I wanted to do.

If anybody wanted to know what keeps me company I would probably pull out any of my characters. Ive become attached to my characters. I want to soon one day have my own cartoon on Adult Swim.

For this assignment I wanted to keep it very me but at this same time channel certain parts of Garbage Pail kids. So I deiced to highlight certain this people might not necessarily find pretty but keep it cute.

For my zine I wanted to really capture any moment that special to me that occurred while in Flat bush. I choose to do more graphic images just because I said Flat bush reminds me of home just because of the people and the vibe of that part of New York; back in Philly I would strictly only do Graphic Design. So I chose to revisit it.

Also the Duck-Tape has writing on it that states facts on the neighborhood I was interested in

Cover:

2:

that is Tyler <3

3:

Kai,

For this assignment my client had an issue with keeping all of his dongles, he would lose them and they wouldn’t be charged stopping him from creating and as an artist i know that when something is ion the way of you creating it can be very frustrating. So I created the : DONBAGGLE

This Bag is everything he needs. Installed in the bottom of the bag is a multi-dongle piece. It has 24 dongle slots with vacuum cords so no need to worry about the tangling. Also, the dongle piece installed in the bag is indestructible. Its coated with LINE-X which makes all things indestructible. The bag itself is made of a special fabric that is weather proof.

Kai,

My zine is based on two neighborhoods The Bronx and Flat-bush. Two neighborhoods that hold a bad rep and I want to get into the neighborhood showing the in and outs. When I went to visit my friend in the Bronx, I felt at home. There’s a sense of community and hustle. Visually its what I am used to and comfortable around. Its excited to see p.o.c all in one area. Architecturally, it is pretty standard besides the excessive amount of project homes. The overall area feels extremely personal. All those windows hold stories and heartbreak and joyous moments and that whats most interesting. These people. In my zine i want to show all of the things Ive encountered while being in both places. Some mini installations ive made in those areas and people and storefronts and etc.