Demon Lust: An Interview with the Goth Erotic Artist Godiva Ghoul

In May we already briefly paid attention to the Twitter favorite (125,6 k followers) and Goth erotic artist Godiva Ghoul. Given her popularity on Twitter and Instagram I expected to find more information about her on the internet but that was not the case. So it was high time to invite the artist for an interview in order to learn more about her background, the term Goth nouveau erotica, her work process, influences and more...

1) What call you tell us about your background (education, place of birth.....etc.)?

In the 90's I was born on a snowy day somewhere in Europe. I frequented a lot of schools because we moved around a lot but the most important ones were the Liceo Artistico (Italian high school focused on fine arts), the academy of fine arts, where for some reason I wasted three years studying architecture and design, and finally a short course in a private institute where I studied graphic design, illustration and comics.

2) Did you grow up in an artistic environment?

Sort of, my mother had artistic inspirations when she was young and kept many art books and paintings in our home, and since we didn't have many toys growing up and I was too introvert to go out and make friends, I spent most of my childhood alone just drawing on fax paper with bic pens. (depressing I know)

3) You describe your art as a hybrid of goth nouveau erotica, and I also discern some Japanese influences (like manga). What are your influences? And how would you describe your style?

Goth nouveau erotica is a fun descriptive that sounds catchy, but that to an extent also describes all my influences, which include but are not limited to: Pre-Raphaelite, Symbolism, Japanese Art, Grotesque Gothic and the erotic illustrators of the 900s like Norman Lindsay.

4) How would you describe your work process? Do you have a certain routine?

Chaotic and spontaneous, I don't have a set instone routine or any set of rules. Usually I just look for art that inspires me, look for models or take photographs that I could use for reference and just start sketching without a clear objective. Other times I start from a vague concept, like a “Demon-of-that-strange-feeling-when-you-are-neither-awake-nor- asleep-and-wonder-where-you-are-now”. But most of the time, I don't know what the things I'm drawing will turn out as, I just follow the lines and shapes that are pleasing to my eye and keep going until there's enough of them or until I'm tired of it.

5) What inspires you?

Everything everywhere all at once... but mostly women.

6) Do you only work via digital media or also with traditional media? Which medium do you prefer and why?

I started abusing digital art just around 2016 circa, and almost never went back. While I have drawn with brush ink and paper most of my life, which you can also clearly see in my digital art method which is more focused on kind of traditional inking, I much prefer the benefits of digital art, which allows you much more of a margin for error.

7) Are you familiar with shunga? If so, what are your thoughts about this art form?

I had a book of Shunga art back when I was probably too young for it, but it opened my mind to an important concept: that erotica is a worthy art form and depictions of sexuality are not a shameful thing, not just for gas station cheap xxx magazines.

8) Who's (are) your favorite contemporary artist(s)?

Too many to list all of course, but the most influential on my art style are: Kerascoet, Mike Mignola, Bertrand Catignol, Nicolò Pellizzon, Joann Sfar, Bastien Vivès, Tsutomu Nihei and Daisuke Garashi.

9) Can you live off your art?

Certainly, if I was actually capable of eating art. But seriously I don't.

10) Do you feel limited by the sensitive nature (censorship) of social media platforms?

Yes of course, but I'm sorta lucky because I don't usually feel the need to depict explicit sexual intercourse, like some of my talented artist mutuals do. So it's easier to cover what might be too extreme for certain socials, especially the ones owned by “Meta”. But I also got some of my art deleted for it being too explicit.

11) What is your favorite movie?

“Portrait of a lady on fire” is my all time favorite film at the moment, and recently the film I loved the most is: “Everything everywhere all at once”.

Fig.65c. One of the pulp novels that inspired Ghoul's The Dagger design

In our Premium section you can find much more of the Gothic sensuality by Godiva Ghoul.

You can find many other prints by Godiva Ghoul in the artist's gallery

Click HERE for a fascinating interview with the sensual surrealist Michael Hutter. or here for a fascinating talk with the exceptional sensual artist Apollonia Saintclair

Let us know your thoughts on the interview with Godiva Ghoul or her art in the comment box below...!!