59.4 x 84.1 cm
Digital Art & Acrylic on gsm card
Framed - MDF wooden black frame

In this body of work, I dive deep into the iconic queer subcultures that haveshaped and defined the vibrant, unapologetic energy of the LGBTQ+ community.This particular piece is a playful yet profound tribute to the pup play and gayleather subcultures - a celebration of the freedom to explore one’s identity,desires, and power in ways that challenge societal norms and expectations.Rooted in the post-WWII era, leather culture became a symbol of resistance,identity, and liberation for queer men, offering a space where they could reclaimtheir bodies, their desires, and their strength. It wasn’t just about leather andmasculinity - it was about vulnerability, intimacy, and connection. The mandepicted in pup play in this painting represents the primal, raw energy that hasalways existed within us, a reminder that our desires, in their purest form, arenatural, valid, and worthy of exploration.Pup play is about embracing those animalistic, instinctual parts of ourselves in away that is safe, consensual, and empowering. It is a form of self-expression thatencourages us to connect with our bodies, our emotions, and each other on adeeper level. In a world that so often tries to control and define us, queersubcultures like pup play offer spaces where we can break free of those chainsand be fully, unapologetically ourselves.In exploring these desires, we find freedom - not just freedom from societaljudgment, but freedom to connect with ourselves and with each other in deeplymeaningful ways. This piece is an invitation to celebrate that freedom, toembrace the power of self-expression, and to understand that in owning ourdesires, we find our greatest strength.