BindMe interviewed the man behind www.nawashibari.com, James Mogul. James is an acclaimed fetish-photographer and bondage-artist and admired by a lot of people in the bondage-scene. Among those admirers is Marrow :~)
Someone once said: “James Mogul is what Christian Grey wants to be when he grows up”.
We are extremely proud to present this interview!
*Update. Sadly Nawashibari.com is no more. James has moved forward and has been high up in Kink.com for a while now. But still this interview is an interesting read, so I’ll leave it up :-)
BindMe: Would you like to tell us something about your background? Who are you and
what do you do?
I am a self published photographer and videographer. Like many visual artists I like to create what I am passionate about, and I am very impassioned with sex appeal and kink. Some people call it erotic art, some people call it porn.
BindMe: What does bondage/shibari/kinbaku mean to you?
To me, bondage in general is a vehicle to another universe. Once there, the instrument of delivery is secondary to an intimate universe of one’s own construct. The ride however can sometimes be the most fun, and that is where creative ties and playfulness come in. I also can see rope as a beautiful and sadistic weapon
BindMe: How did you first come into contact with bondage/BDSM?
Catholic school of course. Actually a crazy ex girlfriend tempted me with rough sex and I’ve never been the same since. 10 years later I heard the
term BDSM and found a dungeon and realized I was probably OK.
BindMe: By whom are you influenced in your work (if so)? In what way? And who else do you admire in “the scene”?
I was raised on the American east coast but I am a child of the west coast bondage scene. David El, Eddie and a few others underground are all
influential west coasters. Japanese photographer Fuji Akio and Chimuo Nureki’s Kinbiken Society was a big influence. I go back to ‘Bind’ all the
time.
BindMe: Do you see your form/style of bondage as an artform / artexpression?
Yes, I find it very creative and often challenging on an engineering level. I am most pleased when my partner and I can summon up fear, anticipation and of course, desire ;)
BindMe: And if yes… do you do something about it (or do you value that) to see it accepted as such? (If no, what else is it?)
If think it is great to see fetish and bondage imagery in the American mainstream these days, even if it does take a European photographer to shoot it for us ;). Helmut Newton was shooting erotic images for museum walls long before my generation.
On a more grass roots level, yes I think it is important to promote tolerance of alternate images in creative hands. This is the premise of
ArtBound, a living gallery of bondage for the sake of visual artists. We turned at least a couple of established artists on to kink at these two
events, and had a great time doing it: www.artbound.net
BindMe: Do you have a favourite way/shape of binding? A favourite position?
I seem to gravitate to small packages.
BindMe: Do you have regular partner you have bondage with?
Yes.
BindMe: Is having a website an extra kick (showing your bondagepartner) or is it more
commercial?
Both!
BindMe: What other BDSM-elements are you attracted too?
Come closer, said the spider to the fly
BindMe: Do you always do your own photography or do you just focus on the bondage?
I read that you are more working in a team now. How does that work?
It depends on the scale of the bondage, the production and how much work needs to get done. My favorite way to shoot is with just me and the model
but in this business that is a luxury item. I rarely if ever anymore shoot suspensions or risky stuff without someone else around, that is too nerve wrecking for me.
Gwen has become my semi-willing photographic protégée. We have been shooting together for so long that she really knows what I’d like to see.
Other willing accomplices sometimes assist with video and web stuff but for the most part we run a small shop.
BindMe: How did it feel to have your bondagepartner suspended for the first time?
That was a great kick. It was on a stage in front of 35 drama people. I think I’m sweating on tape somewhere. I was really nervous but it was
great. The bottom wore all black ropes and a gas mask.
BindMe: Do you think that Japanese bondage seems like a hype lately? Everyone seems to be “into it”….
I think that there are more unkinky people into rope and bondage than there were just 5 years ago.
BindMe:What do you recommend people that feel attracted to this form of bondage and want to learn?
Tie yourself up!
BindMe:What more can we expect in the future from you?
Dirty movies for a counter culture.
A few of the sites that James’ work is featured on are:
Marrow and Debora of BindMe.nl wish to thank James very much for his cooperation on this special and being so open, informative and personal.
Thank you very much, James. We hope to see lots more kink in beautiful bondagephotography from you.