KSB Magazine N° I-25

Breaking a stereotype is a thing.

The story of Kinbaku is stereotypical and told from a male perspective. The male gaze, the male fantasy, informs our imagination, the visuals, the writings – and therefore our performance, our actions.

Especially in the West, as “we” discovered Kinbaku, 25ish years ago, the spotlight was on the (predominantly male!) riggers or performers. It is not even so long ago that models got addressed in a workshop, not just being a mannequin, an object the rope was done to. In my early years (a decade ago) the (predominantly female) models often were not even named on a flyer for a performance.

It is true – the little we “know” about the short history of Kinbaku, the names we drop – it is all (at least: predominantly) male. Check yourself: whom did Seiu Ito push into the icy cold lake? And what was the name of the pregnant woman hanging upside down on that iconic picture?

We know the names of the riggers – but not their models. Who were these ladies getting tied up by Minomura Kou? And did these women in the 1950ies contribute something more than just their bodies? Maybe original, innovative thoughts, their own voices?

These days this stereotype is fading … becoming a story from the past. These days often it’s the models who get the fame. We know their names – thanks to Instagram. The rigger is in the shadows, no matter what gender they are. There are female-led venues or events. The most famous Kinbakushi chose female Deshi…

Females in Japan contributed – and do contribute – much more to the story of Kinbaku, than it is in our consciousness in the West.

We wanted to shine a light on them. Therefore, this issue is dedicated to the “Female Figures” of modern Kinbaku history. Wherever possible, we sought out their original voices, and we are deeply honored and grateful to have gathered contributions from so many women—both from Japan and the West.

We are excited about what we compiled for you: Interviews, Research, Essays, Poetry, Fiction, Illustrations, plus original photography from Japanese masters as well as contemporary European artists – we had to add another 16 pages to fit it all in!

Read on, dear supporter of our research, and dive into this issue. I wish you wonderful feelings…

Alexander MA