A onetime ballet dancer, choreographer, set designer and decorator, Dom Orejudos was best known under his two pseudonyms, Etienne and Stephen, as an illustrator of violent and humorous homosexual fantasies in the pages of numerous gay porn rags and other sorts of mass circulated publications for the last twenty five, or so, years of his life. He died at the age of 58 in 1991.
The pieces above and just below look like fairly early works. The pseudo-classical spanking scene doesn't even reveal any genitalia. The prison fantasy looks to be at least ten years later in origin, judging by the improved paint handling and understanding of anatomy. It's among my favorites of his pictures, though I find this idealisation of prison culture considerably less complex than Genet's. One gets the feeling that Dom didn't really know it from the inside as Jean did. Still, it shows some subtle signs of a cultural critique beginning to sprout.
The boxing scene below is yet another attempt on his part to make clear the uses that the dominant culture finds for homosexual desire within the mainstream. Among the viewers of this match, it looks like both Ernie Kovacs and Tony Curtis are enjoying the show. (I assume this one dates from around the time of that misbegotten Kirk Douglas/Stanley Kubrick collaboration, Spartacus, circa 1960.) The Huns Sacking Rome appears to be dated 1963 in Roman numerals. In my view, it's a fair reflection of the popular culture of its time. I can't help but think of the (then) ubiquitous Stephen Boyd when viewing it.
The following two paintings appear to be from the same period (perhaps even the same series,) which I guess to be relatively late in his career, probably the mid-eighties. I'm no fan of fist fucking, and have no interest in trying it in either role, however, I do admire Etienne's representation of his own sadomasochistic desire to be both victim and villain. The larger group scene, incorporating sculpture, photography and performance, strikes me as a kind of perverse tribute to the power of art to transform our lives in various unexpected ways.
In these murals, Etienne seems to be trying to channel the spirit of Diego Rivera, trumpeting the glories of industrialized modernity. Here he makes literal his view of the submissive fantasy figures he constructed as vehicles for our collective pleasure.
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ReplyDeleteI was. I AM a great fan of the erotic art of Dom Orejudos (whatever name he went under at various times).
Of the 9 scenes shown here, my favs are (1) The Nude Boxers. (forgotten by me) Either athlete makes it into my fantasy male harem. Altho the one connecting w a punch would get called to my bed first. The guy you see as Tony Curtis looks much more like Robert Forster (b July 13, 1941)(was in "Reflections in a Golden Eye" among other roles); (2) Property of the Rams. God, that jock macho face (gagged yet!), that body type - those legs - in combo w that super-irresistible ASS! up-ended yet! (Dom did such deluxe derrieres - just made to power-drive your delirious dick up into - drill as deep into those hot whore holes as your happy hard-on'll go!) The would-be fister looks like a combo of Burt Reynolds & a white-faced Carl Weathers (b Jan 14, 1948);
To continue: (3) The guy on the Grease Rack. For his so cute, fuckable ass (as explained already re Dom's renditions of rears!) & bcs of the hands. Dom so often had a bound or captured guy with the fingers of his hands wide apart, signaling (what ?) open helplessness - but also a combo of resignation to, & a willingness to accept the inevitable anal assault!
ReplyDelete(4) The blondish, young high school hunk being skewered at both ends by statues! If I were twins we would love a young buff guy like that to do it to!
(5) Huns Sacking Rome. Of all those depicted, the unconscious muscular guy on the left would be my choice to rape. Rape repeatedly, but never so hard as to cause any permanent damage - just sore enough he could not sit down for a fortnight without remembering fondly my erection up his warm welcumming rectum.
As to Stephen Boyd (b Wm. Millar 4 July 1931, No Ireland), always had a crush on him & assumed he was gay (& that's why Hollywood never seemed to push his career as it might have). Raquel Welch said he rebuffed her & Gore Vidal said he was. Gay.
Enjoy your Life in Blessed Peace in the Spirit World, Billy/Stephen. We send you Love.
I really do wish there was a book on Dom or something. Like, a REAL book on his life and such or that he'd written a memoir before he passed away. He is one of my personal artistic heroes. He was able to do so much and he grew and developed and lived - he was so inspirational.
ReplyDeleteAnd I loved reading your assessment of his work! So many people forget that erotic artwork is still art! Themes and ideas and cultural critiques emerge in everyone's work. And I think Etienne was one of the best people at that (Tom of Finland was great, but Dom never veered to far from reality, imho)