Axel, one of the most important local up and coming erotic artists, is a lesson is dichotomies. He is both man and boy, artist and subject, angel and sinner.He is also funny. Funny to the point that I chuckled to myself long after we had concluded our interview.
The artist, Axel. Courtesy Axel. |
“I don’t quite get it yet”, is how he responds to the praise that is being so generously strewn at his feet. People like Durk Dehner, the founder of the Tom of Finland foundation are saying, “He is someone to keep an eye on”. Michael Thorn, the editor of Instigator Magazine says, “He is this generations Tom of Finland, period!”
Mighty high praise for a former Mormon, born in the potato fields of Idaho. “I quit being Mormon at fifteen,” says Axel. “I said to my family, I’m gay and that’s the way it is. You either love me or you don’t”. They did, although his dad did give him money to take some “real” girls out on dates. “I am the baby of the family, so they had mellowed by that time, although they did try to keep me in the Mormon cult.”
Axel draws and sketches and computer animates. He does it dirty. Really dirty. When asked about all of the toilet sex he depicts, he states, “It is partially in my mind, and partially catering to my fans. They have let me know what they like, and I love doing it.” Axel finds “something hot about T Room sex,” and his works clearly show that.
Courtesy Axel. |
His starring characters name is Pipe, and he can be seen regularly in Instigator magazine. He is a hyper masculine man, with a huge round melon butt, who looks like he hasn’t showered in months. He carries around on his back tanks of amyl nitrate, (poppers) and wears a gas mask. His jock strap seems to be stained, and yet amidst all of this filth, there is something strongly attractive about him. This computer-generated character is flawless in his appearance. Axel has the ability to make his art so close to the real thing, that you can actually picture them in their human form. I like Pipe.
When I asked Axel if he always wanted to be an artist he responds by telling me that he comes from a family of artists. It was very much expected of him to be creative. I think his Mormon family didn’t realize just how creative he would become.
He began selling fully illustrated sex education books that he created, while in high, school for five dollars each. Teachers and family weren’t too happy about them, but Axel made a nice little living doing them. “Then around 1987 I drew a handcuffed cop, and realized that this was something that was burning in my thought process.“ In 2003 Axel was nominated for the prestigious International Erotic Artist of the Year Award.
His work no longer sells for five dollars, and he can barely keep up with the demand. Buyers are commissioning him, collectors are investing in his art, and casual lookers are purchasing pieces as quickly as he can produce them.
Courtesy Axel. |
When I asked Axel if there is an area of fetish that he won’t depict, he said, ”I won’t do scat, and I won’t do a drug scene. He further states, “They are not of any interest to me, although I don’t judge, they are beyond my comfort zone.”
Ok, so now for the personal stuff. Axel has a partner for about ten years. Don’t cry fans. They have what Axel casually describes as an open but honest relationship. “We are always honest, and encourage each other to play and enjoy life”.
His partner doesn’t share his interest in fetish and the outrageous, and Axel says that it works fine. His partner usually doesn’t accompany him to shows, and Axel understands that. “It is so boring for him to just be there carrying art around.” I ask what about when fans gloat or flirt, “He is secure in that I will be honest with him, but flirting is fun”. Axel doesn’t have a particular type, and has said he has even had great sex with a gentleman of lets say, a grandfatherly age.
Axel hates attitude and can smell it a mile away. “I just like real people, and am so turned off by attitude”.
Bravo Axel! Maybe that is what is so attractive about you. Oh that and your cute face and hot little bubble butt.
Look for my friend Axel at artbyaxel.com. (Caution – this is an adult site, be 18 years old to enter.) There are plenty of nudes of him (pant, pant) and a lot of his art is available for viewing.
Nuff said. Time Out.
Jimmy Palmieri sits on the City’s Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board and hosts a Gay Issues show on the City channel (36) called “Time Out.” That show airs live each Wednesday night at 7 o’clock p.m. He can be reached directly at jpalmieri@wehonews.com.
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