Interview Cuban art project, 2023

For a Cuban art project I am interviewed about my Kinbaku. Without further ado:

What is your technique and your influences?

My technique and influences have changed over time, grown, matured. Currently I am in my 23th year of being a professional rigger / kinbakushi / nawashi however you like to call it.

Like most, I think, I started by being influenced from images of “Asian” girls tied up in rope that I found in the pre-WWW interwebs. When I knew what it was that I liked (the bound female-form) I started purposely looking for it and found that I liked the work of one American guy whose name I forget (he tragically died in a car accident a long time ago), Randa Mai, Akechi Denki, Nureki Chimuo and as logical consequence Naka Akira. These influences have all been mixed and I like to think that I now have my own style but in this style you will see influences from the aforementioned people.

What is the biggest problem you have gotten yourself into because of the art you do?

Hah! Good thing you are only asking about -the biggest- 🙂 Over time there have been many from very funny to something you would not wish on anybody.

Over time I have grown into the idea that “doing rope” should not be someones main occupation. In part because I’ve tried and now have my reasons for this, some of them being that you blunt your brain and that working in an uncontrolled environment, compared to for instance corporate environments, is cause for too much drama. So next to being a professional rigger / kinbakushi / bakushi / nawashi / you-name-it I hold a regular job. I feel this keeps me sane and balanced.

Some of the biggest issues I have run into are all related to the corporate world and the narrow mindedness of people in charge not accepting anything out of the ordinary/different than what is their view of how the world should work. Me or my partner(s) have faced losing our job(s), and lost our jobs, over being outed as working in an erotic setting by jealous co-workers way too many times.

Do you feel that your art opens doors to a freer and more consensual world?

That’s an easy one, short answer: No. Our “art”… What is art? An inherent part of art is in the mind, imagination, fantasy of the beholder. Imagination and fantasy imo being key factors when it comes to an niche-erotic-skill like bondage in general. Our “art” creates a lively, world-wide, sub-culture that will imo forever roam the underground on occasion surfacing like punk, graffiti, etc. and will not contribute to a freer and/or more consensual world.

Do you really have freedom of expression?

I think this is an easy one as well, short answer: No. 🙂 To me Kinbaku and bondage in general is inherently an erotic and often sexual practice. We live in a society where this is not accepted to publicly showcase and not allowed to enjoy. Kinbaku is, and most likely always will be, an underground activity, as mentioned in my previous answer, like punk, graffiti and what not. These activities are not generally accepted in society.

What are your future projects?

You know what they say, keep your plans to yourself because sharing lessens the likelihood that they will become a realization! 🙂 So, I won’t share them just yet, you just have to follow me ( https://www.ropemarks.com/links/ ) and see what comes. One thing I will, can, share because this path has been set in already, is that I will focus more on sharing and teaching my knowledge. I think that after doing Japanese rope bondage for more than 35 years, of which 23 years professionally, I have something to say.

If you readers like to know and see more of RopeMarks, please visit my platform.

https://ropemarks.com/
https://www.ropemarks.com/links/