Shibari is a delicate practice; it’s the combining of rope, flesh, and communication in an aesthetically driven way. Without any of the three, and you’re missing its point. This short production I have created, Shibari – A Delicate Practice, takes a small look at the culture surrounding Shibari as well as a glimpse inside the minds of some people who practice it.
Please be aware this film contains adult content.
Trigger warning: sexual themes & nudity.
Trigger warning: sexual themes & nudity.
Shibari (a decorative tie) and Kinbaku (to tie tightly) are terms both used when practicing tying someone aesthetically, however the western culture has generally adopted the name Shibari for its practice. At its core it’s an art form about creating patterns with rope against a body; the juxtaposition of strength against exposure, roughness against softness. It’s also quite a psychological experience, about giving permission and taking power all within a safe, sane, and consensual space (SSC). In its practice, the model is seen as a canvas (a ‘rope bunny’), the rope a brush and paint, and the person tying an artist (a ‘rigger’). There are also different psychological spaces people can enter, known as ‘sub space’ and ‘top space’, that can create endorphin or adrenaline highs making Shibari a very intimate and individual experience for those who practice it.
“There is a great art to the act of tying… it is this incredibly ascetic experience.”
It is true that Shibari can be an erotic practice, however some of those who practice it do not necessarily relate it to BDSM practices. For myself (a self proclaimed rigger) I do not find it inherently sexual, but that probably stems from the fact that I have never practiced it with a partner before. I usually work with others who are interested in being tied for personal reasons rather than sexual ones, such as it’s beauty. Still, if it were ever to become sexual then that’d only be a small component for me, it’s really not why I’m practicing it; it’s about my personal growth.
“It can be very gentle, as well as really hard… there is a whole range of emotions that are as flexible as the material itself … a sense of communication through rope.”
Many thanks to the team:
Interviewee 1 (Anonymous)
Interviewee/Model 2 (Anonymous)
Interviewee/Model 3 (Anonymous)
Model 4 (Anonymous)
Em Dickinson (Producer, Director, Cinematographer & Editor)
Duncan Barnes (Executive Producer)
Interviewee 1 (Anonymous)
Interviewee/Model 2 (Anonymous)
Interviewee/Model 3 (Anonymous)
Model 4 (Anonymous)
Em Dickinson (Producer, Director, Cinematographer & Editor)
Duncan Barnes (Executive Producer)
References:
Sebag-Montefiore, C. (2016). Shibari: pushing boundaries in the ancient Japanese practice of knot tying. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jan/21/shibari-pushing-boundaries-in-the-ancient-japanese-practice-of-knot-tying
Walsh, J. (2015). Shibari: A couple explain the appeal of Japanese rope bondage. Retrieved from www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/fifty-shades-of-grey-bondage-and-sm-sex-in-relationships-10036644.html
Zin, G. (n.d.) What is Shibari? Retrieved from www.artofcontemporaryshibari.com/?page_id=29
Sebag-Montefiore, C. (2016). Shibari: pushing boundaries in the ancient Japanese practice of knot tying. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jan/21/shibari-pushing-boundaries-in-the-ancient-japanese-practice-of-knot-tying
Walsh, J. (2015). Shibari: A couple explain the appeal of Japanese rope bondage. Retrieved from www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/fifty-shades-of-grey-bondage-and-sm-sex-in-relationships-10036644.html
Zin, G. (n.d.) What is Shibari? Retrieved from www.artofcontemporaryshibari.com/?page_id=29