NSFW. Shibari is the ancient Japanese artistic form of rope bondage. In Japanese, Shibari simply means “to tie.”
Snake and woman in Shibari ropes done by Alix Ge in France.Blackwork woman in kimono done by Phil Kaulen at Elektrotinte Tattoo.Full Shibari back piece and octopus done by Zhuo Dan Ting at Shanghai Tattoo in China.
Shibari dates back to the 1400’s when police and samurai would use Hojo-jutsu, the martial art of restraining captives. This was used to both imprison captives as well as torture.
Woman tied up, upside down done by Alvaro Contreras in Barcelona.Delicate blackwork piece by Sad Amish tattooer at The Church tattoo in Bordeaux.Neo traditional demon woman in Shibari rope done by Wes Harrison at Black Wren Tattoo.
By the late 1800’s and early 1900’s this evolved into a new kind of erotic rope tying called Kinbaku. Today, this erotic art form is generally just called Shibari.
Red rope Shibari woman done by Clara Welsh at Evil From the Needle in Camden UK.Heart and Shibari rope by Scott Garitson at Til’ Death Denver.
The knots used in Shibari accentuate characteristics in the models body, and show sensuality, vulnerability, as well as strength. The ropes create geometric patterns on the models body that contrast the bodies natural curves.
More Japanese style piece, featuring her own Japanese tattoos done by inserseriusseries at Two Of Hearts Tattoo.Torture by Shibari done by Sergey Vaskevich in Warsaw.
Shibari tattoos are erotic and sensual, showing off the human form in all its beauty. They are often done in black work, black and grey, realism, and neo traditional styles.
Blackwork heart and rope done by Lopes Onepunch at Gone fishing tattoo in Portugal.Leg wrapped in rope by Tine DeFiore at Black Oak Tattoo in Chicago.
To see some live Shibari art please check out shibari.jp to see my favourite Shibari artist, Hajime Kinoko.
Realistic black and grey piece done by Németh S. Csilla at Deep Art Tattoo in Nové Zámky.Blackwork shibari and video camera done by Ufoo Tattoo at Kult Tattoo Fest.
Frida Kahlo was a painter born in Mexico in 1907. She mainly painted self portraits, but many were heavily stylized, and some based on current pop culture.
American traditional portrait done by Alix Ge in France.Sketchwork style done by Victor Montaghini.Portrait in a heart done by Amanda Toy in Milan, Italy.
Her art explored questions of gender, identity, class, race, and postcolonialism in Mexican society.
Geometric, dotwork deer piece by Bob Mosquito.Blackwork style done by Sue Jeiven.Neo traditional portrait with roses done by Christophe Bonardi.
Frida’s art has been called surrealist, and magic realist. Her paintings are praised today by feminists for their depictions of the female experience and form.
American traditional portrait done by Dennis Gutierrez in Barcelona.Blackwork/dotwork portrait done by Susanne König.New school skeletal portrait done by Eric Moreno at Birdhouse tattoo in Madrid.
Frida became an artist during recovery after she was injured in an accident when she was eighteen.
American traditional portrait by Esther de Miguel in Berlin.Black and grey portrait done by Wina Brasil.Blackwork geometric, dotwork portrait done by Fredão Oliveira in Brazil.
She became interested in politics in 1927, and joined the Mexican Communist Party where she met her husband. The two divorced in 1939 but did re marry.
Mostly black and grey portrait done by J Swan.Trash polka portrait done by Jessica Damasceno.
Frida traveled Mexico and the United States, and was given a solo exhibition at the Julien Levy Gallery in New York in 1938, which was a massive success. This was quickly followed by another exhibition in Paris the following year.
Frida as a deer done by Kirsten in Wonderland Tattoo in Portland Oregon.Realistic day of the dead sugar skull version of Frida done by Logan Aguilar.
Frida had her first solo exhibition in Mexico in 1953.
Beautiful surrealist portrait done by Mariusz Trubisz.Unfinished realistic portrait done by Megan Massacre.
She died the following year at the age of 47 due to bronchopneumonia.
Skeletal portrait done by Mike Grant.Blackwork portrait done by Paul Aherne.
Though she was relatively well known in certain circles during her lifetime, her work wasn’t appreciated the way it is now until the 1990’s, when her paintings became icons for feminists, Chicanos, and the LGBTQ community.
Bright and colorful portrait done by Sebastian Brade.Colorful geometric piece done by Steph Hanlon.
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