Malcolm McKesson
Malcolm McKesson (✦July 24, 1909 – †February 5, 1999) was an American outsider artist known for his ballpoint pen drawings and his erotic fiction. He was the husband of poet Madeline Mason-Manheim.
Writing
McKesson's writing explores themes of gender identity, transvestism, and sadomasochism, all of which are developed in the semi-autobiographical erotica novella, "Matriarchy: Freedom in Bondage", his magnum opus. This book follows the sexual transformation of Harvard undergraduate Gerald Graham, who willingly subjects himself to the authority of the stern Lady Gladys. She teaches him to "curb his manly nature" by forcing him to take on the role and costume of a lady's maid named Rose. The house is a matriarchy because, as Lady Gladys explains, "in this house all things feminine are blessed, all things masculine are bound in slavery" [Note 1]. Much of Gerald's training involves elaborate sexual bondage devices. The narrative voice shifts from first person into third person as Gerald subjects himself more and more to Gladys's authority.
Matriarchy is illustrated by hundreds of detailed ballpoint drawings of vaguely-defined figures, modeled by voluptuous and androgynous masses, and taking place in dim lighting.
Matriarchy: Freedom in Bondage
- Amazon Review [Source 1]
This book is not really erotica at all, though I suspect that some readers who are interested in Victorian style femdom might fine it more physically stimulated than I did. No, instead it is a journey of one man whom after a long life finally writes down his fantasies along with accompanying drawings. The drawings are well done though I bit difficult to see -- the nature of the media I suspect. The book itself is not a novel in the sense that it is actually a story of a particular length but instead more like a short story or a draft of what could have developed into an intriguing world. As it is, the development of the characters is too quick, too short, and thus I never empathized with anyone nor truly cared what happened to them. I found that I was more interested in the man that created this book, why these fantasies, why these images, why did it take so long for him to express himself and did he ever get that fantasy even briefly in real life.
Notes
- ↑ McKesson 1997, p. 46
Sources
External links
- https://www.outsiderart.co.uk/artists/malcolm-mckesson
- https://web.archive.org/web/20050301235401/http://www.gatesofheck.com/matriarchy/
Also see [ Authors of erotica ] and/or [ Authors of BDSM stories ]
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