Erotic Signature invites you to Art Undressed Exhibit Weekend
2009 | 7:49 pm
Erik von Gutenberg recommends the Erotic Signature Show in Los Angeles from September 10 to 12 at the Box Eight studios.
Erotic Signature in partnership w/LovinLife Productions and Secret Service, announce the continuation of its Second Annual Erotic Art Exhibition Tour, namely ARTundressed, scheduled to take place at BOXeight Studios in Downtown Los Angeles during the weekend of September 10 – 12, 2009. The Exhibition features the winning artists from the Erotic Signature’s 2009 Erotic Art Competition. The art collection comprised of over 350 beautiful art pieces from about 140 International Erotic Artists. The stage is set for a superb weekend filled with sexuality, sensual art, music, erotic performances, sexy fashion shows, Live Bands, Talents, Fashion Models, Deejays, BodyPainting, Live Art, short films, poetry, Drummers, Acrobats, and a lot more.
Buy tickets here: http://www.lovinlifeparty.com/loving-life-events.php
VG/MarquisAmerica recently asked Dark Garden Corsetry’s owner Autumn Adamme a few questions about how her legendary business got started.
http://www.thelondontattooconvention.com/
First and foremost, let’s get one thing quite clear: The LGBT Community in Toronto has no greater friend than I when it comes to efforts in promoting community love, respect, tolerance and just out-and-out “togetherness”. Toronto’s Church Street (The “Rainbow Village”) has been the central gathering place for Toronto’s large LGBT communities for what seems like eons – so naturally, the decision to take the annual Fetish Fair from a park-like setting to the multi-colored, multicultural and tripping-the-light-fantastically iconographic city-center street was a natural decision. Taking the Fair street-side meant that larger crowds could be accommodated in a more safe and secure atmosphere – and more vendors, artisans, craftspeople, patrons and revelers alike could meet and interact on a more personable level with like-minded new friends. The Church Street Fetish Fair has indeed matured since its very humble beginnings in a Toronto city park only six short years ago: it now ranks as one of the best-attended and largest gatherings of fetish folk, in one single location, anywhere in this wonderfully vibrant, brave new world. Church Street truly is the perfect setting, given its long history, in which to stage such a fine collection and amalgamation of fetish finery. Visitors and vendors alike from all over North America (and some from Europe) were treated to some amazing “eye candy” all through the long, over-the-top “hot” day. From that perspective, the Church Street Fetish Fair has indeed matured into one of the most eagerly-anticipated events of the summer for fetish-minded folk – especially in Toronto.
“Maturing” does not always equate to “improvement”, however. The Church Street Fetish Fair was indeed a visual delight – as it was expected to be – but it pains me greatly to have to be the voice of objectivity and deliver some stark realities about the Fair. Events that stagnate and start to just automatically assume that the built-in consumer base will undoubtedly continue to support them (without trying diligently to improve year after year in some capacity) may soon find themselves faced with dwindling numbers and diminished support. The trick in planning any large-scale event is always trying to find new ways in which to improve – and introduce something new and exciting to the populace that will give them that “novelty” attitude towards the event (that is to say, rekindle that initial excitement first felt on a first attendance) in order to keep each annual event fresh, and memorable, with each passing iteration.
The dance and flag-bearing corps was the very first performance we saw at the Fair – and after a stellar offering such as that, we certainly were looking forward to the rest of the day’s entertainment. Unfortunately, this brings me to the start of our short list of improvements we’d perhaps like to see implemented for future Fairs.
However, there was no obvious signage telling visitors exactly what that particular stage was being utilized for. It was a pleasant surprise to see a waxing demonstration being carried out on a lovely bound and blindfolded boy at that time – but there were less than 20 people gathered around to witness it. I asked a lady standing beside us how she happened to come across this particular demonstration and she replied, “Oh, I just wandered by and wanted to see why this stage wasn’t facing the crowd like the other stages were.” I am quite convinced some of the SM-related demonstration on that stage during the Fair may have drawn larger gatherings: but I am equally convinced having some kind of proper visual notification of exactly what was going to be going on in that secluded space would certainly have done nothing but help contribute to viewership. This is a small example – but in reality, every one of the performance areas was sadly lacking in appropriate and proper notification signage.
The end of the day featured a long series of fire-related performances. This is always entertaining and appropriate, considering displays of fire are always best seen when the sun goes down. This has become a staple of the Church Street Fetish Fair: but perhaps as a suggestion for next year, the organizers may want to “mix it up a bit” with the inclusion of some other elements that involve taking advantage of the dark? Perhaps some violent wand or “Tesla Coil” performances of some kind? We did hear a lady in the crowd, when the fire performances started, click her tongue and say, “Fire again? Isn’t there something else they can do that they don’t do every single year?“
All told, though, these are really minor issues. The Church Street Fetish Fair is indeed one of the landmark events of the summer. My personal observations are to caution the organizers simply to not rest on their laurels and continuously “count on” the multitudes coming out. There are always going to be Fair goers who are enthusiastic and excited about participating – the “die hards” – but the real aim in such a gathering is to entice and forever ensnare fresh, “new” acolytes who simply can’t wait for the event’s annual return. It would do the event organizers well to take the lessons from this year and make a concerted effort to improve on some of those areas of opportunity.
August 16, 2009, marks the return of the second-largest Fetish Fair in the world: The Church Street Fetish Fair in the incredible city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
With the success of the Marquis America Fetish Ball in San Francisco on July 18th, 2009, it only seems right and proper that (as a Community facilitator) some attention should be paid to some of the other world-class events coming our way in August of 2009. Consider this an “Event Guide” in which to pick and choose which, if certainly not all, fabulously fetishy functions you funky freaky types may desire to attend. Naturally, you very well may see Your Humble Narrator and Only True Friend (that being Swann, the ever-beloved Defender of the Faith known as Kardynyl SynysTyr) out and about with his incredibly beautiful and oh-so-wicked Leather Life partner (the incomparable Lady J) at most of these gatherings – and if you do happen to come across our path, we would very much welcome the chance to pay our respects and express our regards. Don’t be too surprised when you encounter other dedicated facilitators and educators out amongst the throngs at some of the events listed below: I do not think it’s too much of a stretch to suggest you may meet some very gifted and lovely folk (such as our own Eric Von Gutenberg, the immortal Midori, the extremely talented, friendly and personable Lord Morpheus and even the legendary Rubber Queen, The Baroness herself) out enjoying themselves amongst the populace. This is truly going to be an August to Remember – and Marquis America is looking forward to bringing you all the highlights in the coming weeks from each of these these fine “lifestyle” offerings!
Fetish Con 2009
Torture Garden Toronto
Montreal Fetish Weekend
Thus to paraphrase Grandfather and applying wise words to a stricken populace: “In my day, the Internet was called ‘magazines’.” At least, insofar as attempting to disseminate appropriate direction about just who, what, where, why and when SM folks are to meet and exchange information (see: “proclivities”) is concerned. Since the very early dawn of the Internet age, unheard of amounts of folk have feverishly searched through various web pages, web announcements and contact boards (or dating sites, for that matter) in an effort to instantly reach out to like-minded practitioners who may be able to invest a bit of personal time in their own immersion into sadomasochistic pursuits. The Internet, sadly, is littered with the remains of far too many over-eager men and women who made life-altering decisions based on truly nothing more than a singular interest in a sensually-based personal vehicle of expression. It is a sad thing, really, when you take the time to reflect: I am quite certain there is not a single person amongst our common lovely Community (and in that I mean SM as a whole, world-wide) who has not known the heartbreak of utter disappointment and the shattering of a prayed-for dream when, after spending “quality time” with the Master or Mistress or Slave of their dreams, comes to see their true “identity” when all the masks finally crumble from their respective faces – and the “Dream” is exposed as the “Flesh and Blood Person” that they really are. That is to say, of course, fallible … and all too human. William Goldman’s original book, The Princess Bride, is a very “human” tale set in fantastical settings about damaged people intent on fulfilling obsessions and destinies. It is a book about the search for True Love and High Adventure – can we not claim the vast, borderless landscape known as “Cyber Land” a very appropriate parallel, then?
Over the years, more websites and contact boards have sprung up, almost daily it seems, with the noble intention of providing like-minded seekers with an appropriate and comfortable atmosphere in which to engage other interested parties in discussions involving a wide range of SM-related topics. Entire websites have been devoted to even the most peripheral of paraphilias have been established, and are well patronized by any number of searchers. Anyone with a diaper fetish who loves to be dressed as a rubber dolly, while being summarily punished with a spatula by a sadistic leather-draped Domina in a demented clown costume, is sure to find what they’re looking for if they just let their “fingers do the searching”, after all. But the larger question has always been: How do you watch over that which is unwatchable? Just how do you police the “unpoliceable” – and appropriately?
To begin, as an example assuredly, it does appear that there are many out there who feel they have some kind of “Divine Right” to be recognized as a Prince or Princess (or God or Goddess, even) that it is almost impossible to instantly gauge who is reputable and respected - and who isn’t – by reading short snippets of personal descriptions (and embellishments) on any number of profiles on a myriad of endless (and some mindless) SM-related websites. The one thing that cannot be in dispute: Marquis as an entity was around before the mass advent of the Internet as the world’s largest “throbbing” mass-dating mechanism – and has grown now to foster and nurture Marquis America under the watchful eye of its original brain-trust. The transition from glossy, slick, classy and truly elegant Fetish-related store-bought periodical to an equally admirable web presence has been virtually seamless. Marquis always has been positioned as the Voice of Fetish in an increasingly demanding world, thirsting for more and more imagery and knowledge, in an even more increasingly impatient Fetish world. We all want “it”, and we want “it” instantaneously. Entire fortunes have been made – and squandered, in some cases – from other publications who didn’t take the time to foster and properly grow their own web presence in such a meticulous, calculated – and truly beneficial – process.
Some publications, long-since consigned to the dustbins of used bookstores and seedy adult “second hand” bookshops, even took to “manufacturing” phony contact ads (and in some cases even completely phantom companies) in an effort to pad their pages and try to give their publications some sense of street credibility. Those publications are long, and thankfully, gone from our collective view. Others, such as the revolutionary (and long covetted by collectors) old issues of John Willie’s Bizarre were forced out of publication by intense, artificially indignent outrage by a handful of powerful people. But the recent phenomenon remains: over the past few years, using the Internet as a largely unpoliced delivery machine, there has been an alarming number of individuals (some of whom even at one time had an enormous following of their own and were regarded as ‘respected’ and ‘authorities’) have lobbed destructive accusatory bombs in the general directions of their one-time associates and peers, in some mystifying and disconcerting effort to somehow tarnish entire reputations of some very good people. Certainly once an individual, or a corporation, opens up their publication and their very name to such an unending pool of opinionated humanity they shouldn’t be too surprised that pettiness, professional jealousy and outright mischief can often result in an equally unending parade of trials and tribulations. Some individuals in SM communities across various cities across the globe have even somehow managed to delude themselves that the fake profiles they manufacture on some of these contact websites (even though such things as spelling, grammar and punctuation are a dead giveaway as to who is the actual creator of said profile) are accepted as verbatim truth. It isn’t a coincidence that these fake profiles appear to glorify a particular individual, and are very obviously intended to give some sort of ethereal credibility to someone else rather than truly paint a realistic, individual portrait of the “original subject”. We all know them: the kind of people who make claims of having “years of experience” and are “integral parts of our communities” whom no-one had ever really heard of before suddenly showing up (usually self-trumpeting with great pomp and circumstance) across our collective electronic communal assemblies. Some of these “experts” make rather eyebrow raising claims about “being trained” in, or “heavily immersed” in, all-too-phantom “European Organizations”. I am quite sure every community can point to at least one individual who has made such claims (or worse).
There have been several open-pitched electronic battles waged between long-established entities in the SM world (who seem to believe that the world should conform and change to them rather than – Goddess forbid! – they actually learn to change with the world around them) and newer, more technically-savvy dedicated providers. “Old School” advertisements used to take a far more “mystical and mysterious” approach – and give little to nothing to hint of the “attitude” that may lay quietly (or disquietly, in some cases of course) beneath the veneer exhibited by a meer black and white advertisement in the tattered pages of a newsprint periodical. One long-time self-acclaimed “expert” (who has been at the forefront of SM video production and SM magazine publication for decades) has managed to become a very sad example of exactly what not to be in this modern world by launching a one-person, extremely vindictive (and potentially extremely dangerous) open attack on one particular and extremely popular SM-oriented website and that website’s founders. The accusations being published by this individual for all to see on the Internet are extremely inflammatory, and could be considered outright libel and slander. It is very obvious this one individual is waging too personal a war in too controversial a way over an over-exposed and emphasized perception of an intended slight (how many of us out there already know similar stories, hmm?) – and the truth is, this person’s “efforts” to denigrate an entire website and every one of its members by association with a baseless and (what appears to be) entirely false accusation does appear to be having a modicum of effect. This person’s rantings and ravings across various “free” web portals and services are being read everyday – and there isn’t anyone, or anything, able to issue a “cease and desist order” to prevent her from doing so. (Note: The photo is for reference purposes only and is not in anyway reflective of the individual being referred to in this article.)
Not even the threat of legal repercussions for slander and libel appears to be much of a threat to these kinds of people: At present, the moment a website accepts advertising content on its pages, they are regarded as a publisher, and as a publisher they are liable for the content allowed to be viewed and digested on their systems. Ironically, some of these web portals are such gargantuan entities unto themselves that the very notion of taking them to court for allowing the publication of slanderous and libellous comments is ludicrous unto itself: these giants have far more legal resources at their disposal than nearly anyone else and there simply isn’t a hope that such actions will bear satisfactory fruit. That, in itself, is truly a conundrum, and a problem. It means that those who wish to wage war and do “ill will”, regardless of what “the truth” is, are perfectly free – and able – to do so with little fear of repercussion and little “policing” unless its under the auspices of their own peers. That itself rarely, if ever, truly silences a maverick voice intent on wanton verbal destruction and desecration. Usually, those large web portals give users the right to create their own “groups” and “webpages” that are difficult and usually impossible to monitor and (in extreme cases) outright censor. The rule of thumb appears to be: unless the “group” or “web page” is an open advocate of outright illegal activity, the providers will tend to leave them alone and let them spew their venom for all to unfortunately digest – and human nature being what it is, while the vast majority of readers will dismiss some of these missives as the rantings of an angry, dispossessed and/or jaded individual, the “message” will hit intended targets and stick in some minds. Opinions will therefore be formed – right or wrong – and wrongful, dangerous information thus gets perpetrated, ad nauseum, until the lines of reality are truly too blurred to even attempt to try and disengage the “truth” … from “fantasy’. At least the “old school” publications had a sense of decorum to live up to – as “dated” as they appear to us “modern agers” now, those old newsprint periodicals at least served a valuable purpose in what appears to be a more respectful (and less “knee-jerk reactionary”) time that what we’re collectively exposed to today.