Samarel Erotic Art Interview | 12” of Sin Gallery
- samarel
- Oct 1
- 5 min read
Samarel opens up about erotic art, inspiration, and pushing boundaries at 12” of Sin 2025 exhibition
Can you share a brief introduction about yourself and your background as an artist?
I am an Israeli graphic designer, a graduate of ‘Betzalel Academy of Art & Design’ in Jerusalem. However, my soul has been into erotica ever since I sketched my lovely teacher nude during her geography lesson. I was 8 years young then and never stopped drawing. My subject matter was Roman soldiers with skirts, then I moved on to naked women, without the skirts. Being a Scorpio, I’m obsessed with sex and erotica, and my way of showing it to the world is through erotic art. Divorced with 4 kids! (They know about daddy’s art.)
What inspired the work(s) you submitted to 12 Inches of Sin VIII?
Sex in all forms, and especially between couples, is my main inspiration. I find this act to be the most valuable and beautiful vision in life. I stand behind and in front of my explicit art, and I don’t really care what people think of me after they discover what this ‘family man’ is actually painting…
Ever since I was a kid, I was intrigued by the pubic hair. It symbolized everything I was told about sex. The forbidden desires, the mystery of women, the longing for real sex… Years later I became an erotic artist to protest against the traditional education and modern censorship.
Please tell us more about the subject matter.
I called this piece “Remove Pixel Art from The Origin of the World.” - for a reason.
In this bold reimagining of Gustave Courbet’s notorious The Origin of the World, I aim to confront not just the viewer but the very act of viewing itself. Fusing erotica with glitch aesthetics and post-digital abstraction, the original 1866 painting is filtered through a lens of censorship, code, and corrupted desire.
The unmistakable curves of Courbet’s nude remain central, but they are submerged in a surreal cascade of neon oils and iridescent waves.
A digital veil—structured as fragmented pixel art—partially obscures the erotic form, evoking themes of surveillance, algorithmic shame, and the modern struggle between exposure and control.
The title becomes a provocation: what happens when we "remove" the pixelation, yet still remain entangled in a digital culture that both demands and denies raw intimacy? My work is less about restoring the original image and more about reframing it—fusing classical sensuality with digital disruption to question what is sacred, what is censored, and what is truly seen.
A collaboration across centuries, this piece is both homage and resistance: to the body, to the machine, and to the blurred edges between them.
What themes or ideas do you frequently explore in your art?
Sex is also energy. I am expressing this energy in shapes and colors.
What materials or techniques do you use, and why do you choose them?
I make digital art based on photos, sometimes on my pencil sketches. I never painted in oil on canvas (I tried, but it didn’t work). Digital is my salvation. Then I print the files on canvas and offer prints on my website.
Who or what influences your creative process the most?
The best compliment I ever got was “Samarel’s art is like Dali on acid.” I create art while listening to post-rock ambient music (my second great love) and overwhelmed by Tarantino (still amazed that he went after his love and decided to live with us in Israel).
Who is featured in this work?
The eternal black triangle between a woman’s legs, aka pussy, is featured here with all human history of forbidden desires behind it.
How do you define success in your art practice?
Attending several exhibitions in the USA between 2002 and 2009, then moving to digital exhibitions, and in between selling art prints through my website.
How do you hope people feel when they experience your work?
I want them to feel free of shame at last. I think they should experience my art naked… Here’s a start-up for you!
Have you faced any challenges—internal or external—while creating or sharing your art?
I don’t want to sound banal, but every piece of erotic art I make is a new challenge to me. Btw, I am not aroused while making it, only when I finish (the art, I mean)
What does participating in 12 Inches of Sin VIII mean to you?
Pride. Fulfillment. I wish I could attend those early exhibitions of yours when you started, but I’m done with traveling; I have to focus on my family life here.
Is there a quote, philosophy, or mantra that guides your creative life?
“Our best love affairs are those we never had.”
How does your identity (cultural, gender, sexuality, etc.) inform or shape your work?
Only my zodiac sign: a typical scorpio.
How do you balance vulnerability and control in your work?
I am simply triggered by a good image of a sexual moment, and then I manipulate it with my unique digital style. I am not into the BDSM style, but I paint it for those who are. I am not gay, but I paint naked men. Every sex form is welcome. The thing I reject is violence of any kind. And censorship, of course…
Have you had a pivotal moment that changed how you create?
Yes, indeed… Back in 2002 I had an accident and was grounded for three weeks with hurting legs. I could barely sit, but I forced myself to sit for a few hours every day by my computer. I couldn’t do graphics, so I wandered through Photoshop with my scanned drawings and accidentally discovered something that I developed later to be my unique digital style. The term ‘break a leg’ proved itself pretty good…
What role does risk or experimentation play in your practice?
My art style was created by mistake, so… I’m in for the next trials and errors.
Please list where your work has been exhibited and any awards you’ve received.
My work is featured in three consecutive volumes of "The World's Greatest Erotic Art of Today," a high-profile book.
I received the ‘Audience Choice’ award at the Rochester Erotic Art Festival.
Where can people view more of your work or connect with you?
Actually, I’m all over the web, but a good place to start would be my website, www.samareleros.com
I am also very active on substack.com as an erotic writer and artist.
And lately I created my secret channel on telegram, ‘Great minds fuck alike,’
for my uncensored art. Follow me: t.me/samareleros
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