The Art of Mo Esemu, the Founder of the Ka-O-Bi Sex Crafts Association

Though Mo Esemu's paintings seem deeply influenced by iconic Western artists like Picasso, Dali, and Bellmer, the painter remains almost unknown to European and American audiences. The only source of the artist's works is his regularly updated Instagram, with more than two thousand followers. Yet, checking it, you'll hardly discover a picture of the creator's face. The same goes for his biography, which is impossible to find on the web, even in Japanese. Nevertheless, Mo Esemu (エセム 万) is a prominent figure of modern erotic art in Japan, since he's the founder and curator of the Ka-O-Bi association, which promotes traditional sex crafts.

Fig. 1. Left: Mo Esemu (x.com)

Fig. 2. Left: Takashi Nemoto; right: Mo Esemu (x.com)

Fig. 3. Bull, acrylic paint

Fig. 4. Ballet Dancer

Fig. 5. Ka-O-Bi exposition flyer (x.com)

Fig. 6. Model with Ka-O-Bi ceramic harikata (x.com)

Fig. 7. Ka-O-Bi exposition, Juri Shoji, ceramic Morning glory dildo (Instagram.com)

Fig. 8. Left: Sakiko Morita; right: Takashi Nemoto (Instagram.com)

Pray for a New Life

The Ka-O-Bi project was started by Esemu in collaboration with Rempah Rempah Gallery in August 2019. The creators invited to Ka-O-Bi always show a high level of artistry, contributing ceramic dildos, anal plugs, and traditional Japanese items, but with an erotic twist. The best works are honored with the Ka-O-Bi Grand Prize. In 2024, the winner was Japanese umbrella artist Sakiko Morita with her parasol featuring Utamaro's Shunga prints (fig. 10). Different visual artists, including Esemu himself, often join Ka-O-Bi's expositions entitled Sexual Prayers. As said in the flyer for the 2022 exposition, "Today, Japan's "sex" is covered with many layers of public order and morals that can be said to be outdated, empty, and fake. Light and air can no longer pass through, and even the original healthy joy has been altered. <...> By demonstrating a new and fascinating form of "craft," we hope to create a new form of "sex" and pray for a new "life" (translated from fig. 5). 

Fig. 8. Dick Festival

Fig.10

In the exclusive Premium edition of the article more background of the publicity-shy Esemu, how his weak health provokes his fantasies, the aesthetics of Esemu's nightmarish creatures evoked by the subconsciousness, and 59 additional pics.

Click HERE for or an article on one of Esemu's greatest influences

Sources: amarcord.jp/post/esemuman_gallery; All artworks are taken from instagram.com/moesemu/

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