The queer community has a fraught relationship with the concept of maturity. We never got to enjoy the standard benchmarks of adolescence, such as dating at the mall or holding hands at a pep rally. Instead, we stole lustful glances while suppressing our burgeoning libido, triggering an epic case of arrested development.
Some of us avoid the trappings of adulthood altogether. Why the hell should we play by the rules when they’re dictated by uptight straighties?
But certain parts of our anatomy grow up nonetheless. Yup, we’re gesturing to our genitals suggestively. Sexuality evolves even if emotionality stagnates. This tension between raging hormones and enduring innocence is manifested brilliantly in the work of Alex Ojeda.
Under the moniker @GayArtByAlex (love it!), Ojeda creates cartoon carnality by the mile. Seriously, these figures are packing some lengthy pipe.
For example, Fred Flintstone’s club is big enough to dig Barney a new man-cave.
See?
Ojeda exposes why the Hulk is so incredible, depicting the contents of his shredded purple shorts in bulging, throbbing detail.
His rendition of He-Man rocks the dad bod sexily; his X-Men are more like XXX-Men; and his Jason Voorhees will make you scream more, please.
But as fun as his drawings are, some of Ojeda’s best pieces place the artist himself at the center of the scene. He is a live-action emcee of excess, orchestrating gleeful abandon in a swirling ballet of play.
These hybrid images fully immerse the viewer in the mind of Alex Ojeda. We can watch his imagination tick as his obsessions envelope every corner of the frame.
Perusing Ojeda’s portfolio is like stepping into your own teenage consciousness. Each surface bristles with saturated colors and pop culture indulgence. Animated characters intersect with adult fantasies in an absurdly alluring fashion.
Screw maturity. We’ll take Ojeda’s juvenile jollies any day.
Last modified: May 19, 2022
