WARNING: This post contains sexually explicit images and language. Please read on at your own discretion.
Every time I show a friend or a past interviewee Narong Tintamusik's work, I get the same response: "Where did you find him?" The truth is I don't remember. I know I stumbled across him on Instagram, and the longer I watched the work he was producing, the more I realized I had to profile him immediately. I sent out some screen shots of his work to past interviewees, and everyone was blown away and couldn't believe he's only 23. I got in contact with him and interviewed him, and it's my pleasure to introduce to the world Narong Tintamusik.
Phillip M. Miner: Let's get right to it and talk about your subject matter. You paint porn.
Narong Tintamusik: That's right.
PM: I've noticed there aren't a lot of Asian men in porn. As an artist of Asian descent, what do you think about that?
NT: There aren't many. I've noticed that too -- at least no male stars. There are lots of women. From my perspective, it comes from our culture. [Asian] culture is telling us sex is taboo and you shouldn't really expose your body like that.
PM: How do you decide what scenes you want to paint?
NT: Well, not all pornography is created equal. [Laughs.] When I find something I find striking on Tumblr, I save it to my computer to use as references for all my work.
PM: What kind of work do you find striking?
NT: The porn I'm drawn to is orgy scenes with multiple bodies in the same image. Right now I'm attracted to cum facial images. These guys look like they really want to be cum on. They aren't self-conscious about that desire at all. I'm attracted to that intensely. Not many people admit they want to be cum on!
PM: You're hanging out with the wrong people. Can you tell me more about your process?
NT: For small ink works, I draw everything by hand. For larger paintings, I work on large pieces of paper. For those, I will use a projector to project the image onto the paper. Then I zoom to enlarge certain parts -- like the genitals -- and then zoom out to make the body very small. Almost like foreshortening in a way.
I start with a few base layers, then start applying thicker layers of acrylic paint to it. I work on a couple of things at one time to keep the flow going. I don't like getting stuck on one work.
PM: Everyone I've spoken to about your work talks about the passion in the paintings that's created by the thick paints and way you use your pen. They also love the colors you use.
NT: I've been painting in turquoise and red for three years now. In the past I used to sketch a lot and everything was monochromatic. And when I started painting, I started in black and white. My other classmates and my teachers all told me I should try painting in color. So I stole a borrowed a color scheme from a photograph a friend took: turquoise and red. I'm experimenting right now with painting with orange.
PM: [Laughs.] Maybe one day you'll get to purple!
NT: [Laughs.] Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let's not get crazy. That's too far for me.
PM: [Laughs.] I apologize. So do I understand correctly that you're not an art major in school?
NT: Art is my minor, yes. When I enrolled in university, art was my major, but, having traditional Asian parents, they kept telling me, "You're not going to be able to feed yourself with an art degree. You'll be on the street selling your art." I reluctantly agreed to do something a little more financially stable. I chose biology. I'd like to go into marine biology and go to Florida and get my master's and possibly my Ph.D. But art is my number-one passion.
PM: It shows. You're in Dallas now. Is that where you grew up?
NT: I was born in Texas, but when I was 4 years old I moved to Thailand but moved back to Texas about nine years ago.
PM: So you live on campus?
NT: No, I live with my parents.
PM: Wait, so have your parents seen your art?!
NT: [Groans.] Well, sometimes I paint in my garage, and my mom has come out to get something from the fridge and will see what I'm working on it. She says she doesn't hate it but tells me I should stop painting sex: "All of these orgies you're painting. You should stop!" I get frustrated, but I tell her, "OK, whatever. You don't have to like it." I'm pretty sure she hates my work.
PM: How is being out in Texas?
NT: Dallas is pretty open-minded. I've never felt unsafe here. You're not going to see a lot of gay couples holding hands, but it's safe -- and a bit celibate. [Laughs.]
PM: I grew up in Wichita, Kansas, so I know what you mean. Thanks for your time, and, speaking on behalf of the world, thank you for sharing your art.
Paintings and Sketches by Narong Tintamusik [NSFW]
You can see more of Narong's work by following him on Instagram @narong.tintamusik, on Facebook or on his website.