Theatre
Although it would be possible to establish certain elements related to BDSM in classical theater, not until the emergence of contemporary theatre could you see such topics as the main theme in the performing arts. Exemplifying this are two works: one Austrian, one German, in which BDSM is not only incorporated, but integral to the storyline of the play.
Although it would be possible to establish certain elements related to BDSM in classical theater, not until the emergence of contemporary theatre could you see such topics as the main theme in the performing arts. Exemplifying this are two works: one Austrian, one German, in which BDSM is not only incorporated, but integral to the storyline of the play.
- Worauf sich Körper kaprizieren, Austria. Peter Kern directs and writes the script for this comedy which is a present day adaption of Jean Genet's 1950 film, Un chant d'amour. A marriage in which the wife (film veteran Miriam Goldschmidt) submits her husband (Heinrich Herkie) and the butler (Günter Bubbnik) to her sadistic treatment, until two new characters take their places.
- Ach, Hilde (Oh, Hilda), Germany. A play by Anna Schwemmer that premiered in Berlin. A young Hilde becomes pregnant, and after being abandoned by her boyfriend she decides to become a professional dominatrix to earn money. The play carefully crafts a playful and frivolous picture of the field of professional dominatrices.
Film
Apart from films that are part of the commercial pornography circuit, cinema has been treated since its inception with in depth BDSM relationships, from 1909 to the present decade. The current decade in particular has an abundance of examples: Sade, Quills, The Piano Teacher, Beyond Vanilla, Secretary, Wir leben, Bitter Moon, and the forthcoming Fifty Shades of Grey among others.
The first feature film shown around the world at film festivals and in cinemas that was principally set in the BDSM and fetish lifestyle was the 1997 UK production Preaching to the Perverted. Filmed in a cartoon, high camp style, the film was also a political satire inspired by actual prosecutions of BDSM lifestyle practitioners such as Operation Spanner. It encountered censorship problems in the UK and USA and was the last film banned in Ireland in the twentieth century.
Naturally, there are thousands of movies that touch on or contain accents of BDSM or generic sadomasocism, or contain scenes of BDSM scenarios: Last Tango in Paris, Emmanuelle,Personal Services, Basic Instinct, Eyes Wide Shut, not to mention many others, but these are not seen as part of the filmography of BDSM.
Apart from films that are part of the commercial pornography circuit, cinema has been treated since its inception with in depth BDSM relationships, from 1909 to the present decade. The current decade in particular has an abundance of examples: Sade, Quills, The Piano Teacher, Beyond Vanilla, Secretary, Wir leben, Bitter Moon, and the forthcoming Fifty Shades of Grey among others.
The first feature film shown around the world at film festivals and in cinemas that was principally set in the BDSM and fetish lifestyle was the 1997 UK production Preaching to the Perverted. Filmed in a cartoon, high camp style, the film was also a political satire inspired by actual prosecutions of BDSM lifestyle practitioners such as Operation Spanner. It encountered censorship problems in the UK and USA and was the last film banned in Ireland in the twentieth century.
Naturally, there are thousands of movies that touch on or contain accents of BDSM or generic sadomasocism, or contain scenes of BDSM scenarios: Last Tango in Paris, Emmanuelle,Personal Services, Basic Instinct, Eyes Wide Shut, not to mention many others, but these are not seen as part of the filmography of BDSM.
Literature
Although examples of literature catering to BDSM and fetishistic taste was created in earlier periods, BDSM literature as it exists today cannot be found much earlier than World War II. However, such work as The Trial of Gilles de Rais that dates to 1440 with expressions that coincide with S&M refers as easily to sadist and masochist as to slave and master... a revealing and leveling equation: sadist-slave, masochist-master, both alternating as victims.
A central work in BDSM literature is undoubtedly the Story of O (1954) by Anne Desclos under the pseudonym Pauline Réage.
Other notable works include 9 ½ weeks (1978) by Elizabeth McNeill, some works of the writer Anne Rice (Exit to Eden, and her Claiming of Sleeping Beauty series of books), Jeanne de Berg(L'Image (1956) dedicated to Pauline Réage). More recent works include E L James' Fifty Shades of Grey series. Works from the Gor series by John Norman, and naturally all the works of Patrick Califia, Gloria Brame, the group Samois and many of the writer Georges Bataille (Histoire de l'oeil-Story of the Eye, Madame Edwarda(1937), as well as Bob Flanagan: Slave Sonnets(1986), Fuck Journal(1987), A Taste of Honey(1990). A common part of many of the poems of Pablo Neruda is a reflection on feelings and sensations arising from the relations of EPE or erotic exchange of power.
Although examples of literature catering to BDSM and fetishistic taste was created in earlier periods, BDSM literature as it exists today cannot be found much earlier than World War II. However, such work as The Trial of Gilles de Rais that dates to 1440 with expressions that coincide with S&M refers as easily to sadist and masochist as to slave and master... a revealing and leveling equation: sadist-slave, masochist-master, both alternating as victims.
A central work in BDSM literature is undoubtedly the Story of O (1954) by Anne Desclos under the pseudonym Pauline Réage.
Other notable works include 9 ½ weeks (1978) by Elizabeth McNeill, some works of the writer Anne Rice (Exit to Eden, and her Claiming of Sleeping Beauty series of books), Jeanne de Berg(L'Image (1956) dedicated to Pauline Réage). More recent works include E L James' Fifty Shades of Grey series. Works from the Gor series by John Norman, and naturally all the works of Patrick Califia, Gloria Brame, the group Samois and many of the writer Georges Bataille (Histoire de l'oeil-Story of the Eye, Madame Edwarda(1937), as well as Bob Flanagan: Slave Sonnets(1986), Fuck Journal(1987), A Taste of Honey(1990). A common part of many of the poems of Pablo Neruda is a reflection on feelings and sensations arising from the relations of EPE or erotic exchange of power.
Art
As in the case of literature a list of BDSM art should not include works of the early history depicting sadomasochism, flogging, fetishism, and so on., but should start when the integrative aspects of BDSM become visible. In this sense figures such as those from Venus de Kostienki, Russia (3000 BC) or engraved on the tomb and the sarcophagus of the Egyptian aristocrat Bastret (1376 BC) are not considered BDSM art (as depicting BDSM was not their primary purpose).
For art which is undeniably BDSM art, it follows that the artist has spent most or part of their work dealing with BDSM, so an image of flogging by an artist who does many BDSM works is probably depicting BDSM, while the same image done by a historic maritime artist depicting life aboard a British vessel would probably not be considered BDSM art (although context, and the work itself would usually ultimately determine what the subject matter is discussing). Examples include:
As in the case of literature a list of BDSM art should not include works of the early history depicting sadomasochism, flogging, fetishism, and so on., but should start when the integrative aspects of BDSM become visible. In this sense figures such as those from Venus de Kostienki, Russia (3000 BC) or engraved on the tomb and the sarcophagus of the Egyptian aristocrat Bastret (1376 BC) are not considered BDSM art (as depicting BDSM was not their primary purpose).
For art which is undeniably BDSM art, it follows that the artist has spent most or part of their work dealing with BDSM, so an image of flogging by an artist who does many BDSM works is probably depicting BDSM, while the same image done by a historic maritime artist depicting life aboard a British vessel would probably not be considered BDSM art (although context, and the work itself would usually ultimately determine what the subject matter is discussing). Examples include:
- In photography: Eric Kroll and Irving Klaw (with Bettie Page, the first well-known bondage model), and Japanese photographer Araki Nobuyoshi, whose works are exhibited in several major art museums, galleries and private collections, such as the Baroness Marion Lambert, the world's largest holder of contemporary photographic art. Also Robert Mapplethorpe who has dealt with BDSM themes in many of his works.
- Comic book drawings: Guido Crepax with Histoire d'O (1975), Justine (1979) and Venere in Pelliccia (1984); inspired by the work of Pauline Réage, Sade and Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. John Willie and the Adventures of Sweet Gwendoline (1984) which was the basis for the film Gwendoline.
- In graphic design: Eric Stanton and his work on dominance and female bondage, as well as Hajime Sorayama and Robert Bishop
