The Bator Art Of Ivan Bubentcov

It’s been a little too long since we last enjoyed some good bator art from a creator out there in the world, and this guy deserves attention.

His name is Ivan Bubentcov. As you might have guessed from the name, he hails from Russia.

If you’ve been paying attention recently you’ll know that LGBT+ Russians are in a very dangerous spot right now. Not only have they had to endure years of increasing oppression, they’ve basically just been outlawed.

Their very existence is now considered a crime.

Thousands are fleeing the country, hundreds of thousands more are not able to.

No one knows for sure just how bad things might get, but I think we can probably imagine the threat many Russian citizens now face.

I discovered his art a year ago and ever since then I’ve been saving up a collection of images he’s produced, specifically those in the bator theme.

His style is fascinating. You can see the influence of Soviet propaganda art styles in the way he presents his subjects. The perspectives remind me of the giant murals you might have seen in decades past, adorning public walls across the Soviet Union.

At the same time, there’s an obvious influence of Tom of Finland in some of his work.

Another thing that stands out is the self-censorship. I don’t know when each image was created, but I feel as though you can tell which are the earlier works and which are more recent, because it seems his recent art is considerably more restrained and perhaps “homoerotic” rather than graphic.

He’s even gone so far as to add concealment of cocks after the fact. I think this shows the level of confusion and fear created by the intentionally vague laws intended to pressure people into silence.

On top of that, Russian creators are finding it increasingly hard to make a living due to Western companies imposing bans on services.

If you want to find more of his amazing work you can visit his Instagram, which surprisingly is less censored than I expected it to be. Perhaps you can also find a way to support him by buying art through links he’s posted there.

Enjoy his amazing work. I hope we can see another collection of his great creations soon.