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GENE BILBREW REVEALED: The Unsung Legacy of a Fetish Art Pioneer
With hundreds of rare and extraordinary images culled from his influential 24-year career, this volume illustrates the story of the first black career fetish artist in history: Gene Bilbrew, a.k.a. "Eneg"
Tracing his life from childhood in Los Angeles to his vocal group days with The Mellow Tones and the Basin Street Boys, to his sudden rise as a “bizarre art” rebel in New York City, GENE BILBREW REVEALED presents a vibrant overview of his work for renegade publishers Irving Klaw, Leonard Burtman, Edward Mishkin and Stanley Malkin, while also exploring his sometimes contentious, love-hate relationship with fellow art pioneer Eric Stanton.
What began as a modest Internet article in 2018 took on a life of its own, expanding visually to nearly 300 pages, chronicling the life and times of an outsider African American artist and pioneer whose unique vision redefined cutting-edge comic art of the 1950s and '60s. This is a must-have tribute book for underground comic art fans, pulp art collectors, enthusiasts of outsider art, and, of course, lovers of classic vintage fetish art.
From fetish art specialist, Richard Pérez Seves, author of Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground, and CHARLES GUYETTE: Godfather of American Fetish Art (both available now on Amazon).
Tracing his life from childhood in Los Angeles to his vocal group days with The Mellow Tones and the Basin Street Boys, to his sudden rise as a “bizarre art” rebel in New York City, GENE BILBREW REVEALED presents a vibrant overview of his work for renegade publishers Irving Klaw, Leonard Burtman, Edward Mishkin and Stanley Malkin, while also exploring his sometimes contentious, love-hate relationship with fellow art pioneer Eric Stanton.
What began as a modest Internet article in 2018 took on a life of its own, expanding visually to nearly 300 pages, chronicling the life and times of an outsider African American artist and pioneer whose unique vision redefined cutting-edge comic art of the 1950s and '60s. This is a must-have tribute book for underground comic art fans, pulp art collectors, enthusiasts of outsider art, and, of course, lovers of classic vintage fetish art.
From fetish art specialist, Richard Pérez Seves, author of Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground, and CHARLES GUYETTE: Godfather of American Fetish Art (both available now on Amazon).
297 pages, Paperback
Published June 27, 2019
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About the author
Richard Pérez Seves
10 books44 followersRichard Pérez Seves is the author of
JOHN WILLIE: The Story of John Alexander Scott Coutts, GENE BILBREW REVEALED: The Unsung Legacy of a Fetish Art Pioneer, CHARLES GUYETTE: Godfather of American Fetish Art , Jackie Miller Recollection: A Tribute in Photos, and the hardcover illustrated biography, Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground.
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JOHN WILLIE: The Story of John Alexander Scott Coutts, GENE BILBREW REVEALED: The Unsung Legacy of a Fetish Art Pioneer, CHARLES GUYETTE: Godfather of American Fetish Art , Jackie Miller Recollection: A Tribute in Photos, and the hardcover illustrated biography, Eric Stanton & the History of the Bizarre Underground.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 18, 2023
This can be read in a single afternoon. Most of it is taken up by pictures, which is no complaint at all, given the fantastic quality of the art (this would be five stars if this book were bigger and in color), and the fact that almost nothing is known about Gene.
What is known is both intriguing and heartbreaking. Gene had given up his first career in music after busting out and losing in love to find art - specifically underground fetish art, at which he was gifted. Gene may have been the first person to draw Bettie Page, photographed in the book in front of one of Gene's painting. He attended an art class with none other than Steve Ditko, yes - that one, who remembered him. Ditko also notably inked and was associated with Eric Stanton, the other - and most famous - underground fetish artist who was Gene's main artistic competition and also admirer. Stanton was initially jealous of Gene, whom he admits was naturally better in the beginning. But Gene, who was black, began to deteriorate as the 50's and 60's rolled on, while Eric was riding higher and higher as Irving Klaw's right hand man.
In the end, Stanton was the only person to have cried for the man who died in a tiny room in the back of a bookstore, whose body was moved to another bookstore to keep the authorities from reading the books. Stanton kept many pieces of Gene Bilbrew's art in his own studio till the end of his own life, decades later, all of which are reproduced here.
This book, then, tells a story of two artists, one massively overshadowed, from the iconic underground and very bizarre days of american fetish art.
What is known is both intriguing and heartbreaking. Gene had given up his first career in music after busting out and losing in love to find art - specifically underground fetish art, at which he was gifted. Gene may have been the first person to draw Bettie Page, photographed in the book in front of one of Gene's painting. He attended an art class with none other than Steve Ditko, yes - that one, who remembered him. Ditko also notably inked and was associated with Eric Stanton, the other - and most famous - underground fetish artist who was Gene's main artistic competition and also admirer. Stanton was initially jealous of Gene, whom he admits was naturally better in the beginning. But Gene, who was black, began to deteriorate as the 50's and 60's rolled on, while Eric was riding higher and higher as Irving Klaw's right hand man.
In the end, Stanton was the only person to have cried for the man who died in a tiny room in the back of a bookstore, whose body was moved to another bookstore to keep the authorities from reading the books. Stanton kept many pieces of Gene Bilbrew's art in his own studio till the end of his own life, decades later, all of which are reproduced here.
This book, then, tells a story of two artists, one massively overshadowed, from the iconic underground and very bizarre days of american fetish art.
May 28, 2020
Very informative of a Fetish Artist Pioneer, Felt like I was reading an Erotic Comic Book half way through. The art looks very detailed for the time it was produced. I loved the cover archives through out the book, His later art looked dark and bolder in contrast to his earlier light strokes, charcoal helped.
October 9, 2022
It´s amazing how we can now have illustrations that were banned back in the days.
A short biography, but with lots and lots of beautiful illustrations.
Such a wonderful years for the fetish lovers 🖤
A short biography, but with lots and lots of beautiful illustrations.
Such a wonderful years for the fetish lovers 🖤
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews