ARTIST: TotesFerosh

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Meet TotesFerosh, an artist from Chicago, who specializes in linocut printmaking. We just had the pleasure of collaborating with him on our brand new pin release, and it’s past time to introduce you to the rest of his work, if you are not familiar already!  We had a little chat about his artwork, inspiration, and more.  Here are a few of the highlights, along with a sampling of all his wonderful work!

Your real name is Josh, but you go by TotesFerosh.  What name would you prefer we use?

TotesFerosh. Believe it or not, there's already another Josh Epstein out there who is a mildly famous singer. We actually went to Hebrew school together weirdly enough... My artist name TotesFerosh may seem silly, but it has a lot of meaning to me—It is representational of a time when I was first welcomed into the gay community in Detroit where I grew up. As a shy and not-so-confident 19 year old, I nervously took my first trip to the gay bar. I walked in very unsure of myself. Was I too gay? Was I not gay enough? Was I too twinky? Until I was greeted by a new friend who exclaimed "Oh you look totes ferosh tonight!" (totes ferosh, meaning totally ferocious). This really stuck with me. It told me that this was a safe place and I could be my true self and even be celebrated for it. I had never felt this way before. And I've felt this way ever since.

Looking through your work, It is relatively modest (in comparison to some of the other artists we share) overall, but it seems like recently your work is taking on a sexier edge.  Has that been an intentional choice or has it just sort of happened?

I love this question. This is definitely true. My art has always been heavily influenced by anime and comics, and when you think of anime, most people default to cute characters with expressive faces and fanciful outfits. In years past, my work has been focused on handsome, fashionable characters, but sometimes lacked a narrative. This year, I've really had time to think about what I want to say with my art, and that is to celebrate my community. Sexual and body positivity is a huge piece of Queer culture that is still seen as taboo, even by many people within the community. So I would say my intent was to have more narrative focused artwork, and with that, it started to become sexier and more raw.

What are your intentions with your work? How do you choose your subjects?  Who are your artistic inspirations?

Like I mentioned, I really want to tell stories from my community, from myself, from people I know, and people I've observed. Living in Chicago, you see a lot of interesting people, and I want to capture that in my subjects. For example, Pikachu on a leash is inspired by a real-life experience. It was Halloween 2013 in the North Halsted neighborhood (formerly Boystown). My partner and I had just started dating and I convinced him to let us dress up as Pikachu and Ash. It was your typical hand-crafted wholesome costume made from felt and thrift store finds. Our costume was probably one of the most popular of the night. Until we came across another Pikachu/Ash couple at the bar. There was one major difference with their costume from ours. Pikachu was completely naked other than a yellow thong with a tail, yellow ears, and a leash. I found the contrast between our costumes fascinating and I knew I had to capture this moment with my medium.

What do you feel is your artwork’s role in the queer art community?  How has your experience been interacting with the community?  Any memorable moments?  I’d also love to include your “Man Up” series.  I know I have the general description from your website, but I would love to hear anything else you might have to add about it.  What inspired it? How was it received?

In Chicago, I've struggled finding other Queer artists. I know they are out there, but they aren't in the mainstream gallery scene. As someone beginning to be known in that scene, I feel like it's my responsibility to make a statement with my work. I don’t want to speak for the entire community, but I'd like my presence to feel like an invitation for other Queer folx to attend. My "Man Up" series was really my first introduction into that. I initially produced that series for a high profile show which I knew would see at least 1000 visitors on opening night. This platform was a great opportunity to speak for the unheard and amplify the voices who are often censored or not asked to show in these sort of gallery spaces. Generally, this series was a huge hit. At the show, I gave out free mini prints of the pieces, and every so often, I come across a photo of an artists' studio who has one hung up, or I meet someone who says "Oh YOU'RE the artist that made that?" The inspiration goes a bit back to my fashion-infatuation in my earlier work.

The full “Man-Up” Series:

You’'ll be able to find his work at [blnk haus] in Chicago as part of the "Big Dark Love" group show on February 13th. As a twist on Valentines day, this show will focus on the darker side of love: https://blnkhaus.com

You can find TotesFerosh a few places online:

As I mentioned, We recently collaborated with TotesFerosh on a limited edition enamel pin based off of one of his linocuts. Here is the original artwork! And get your pin right here!

Want your work featured on our blog? Submission details can be found here!





ARTISTKyle AndersonTotesFerosh