Celebrating Masculinity Through Art: The Big Book of Polleiro

21st February 2025 John Hernandez

Since we started featuring bear artists on Bear World, Polleiro has always been one of the most in demand and popular. There is something about his portrayal of bears and masculine men that drive our readers wild. Well, we are happy to announce that he’s about to release another collection of his work entitled The Big Book of Polleiro (edited by David Foissard) and you can secure your copy now on Kickstarter.

We recently caught up with Polleiro, also known as Ismael Ferrer, to see what he’s been up to and what readers can expect from his new book.

BWM: Tell us about the new book you are releasing. How is it different from your prior releases?

Polleiro: This book is very special to me because, in its more than 250 pages, it explains my creative process in depth while summarizing years of personal production. Over the past four years, I have filled nearly fifty sketchbooks of different sizes and qualities with lots of drawings. In this new book, you’ll be able to see and enjoy many of those drawings—some unfinished, others fully completed in ink, color, watercolor, or digital.

While my previous two books featured very specific illustrations, often centered around common themes in the representation of the bear ideal, this time, I will be sharing much more personal drawings—the spontaneous, unrestricted work I create in these sketchbooks.

BWM: How has your work changed since the last time we spoke?

Polleiro: I believe I have evolved into a more artistic, expressive, and at times experimental space. The knowledge I’ve gained in recent years has also allowed me to depict these men (mostly bears and daddies) in a more fluid way, with looser, quicker, and more direct strokes. In my opinion, this approach better conveys my ideal of masculinity, which is something I constantly pursue as an artist.

BWM: Who are some of your favorite famous bears?

Polleiro: It’s not easy for me to find bear-type models in film or television. I feel like actors who used to attract me—mature men who didn’t conform to standard ideals of male beauty but exuded masculinity and manliness—are becoming rarer. I’m talking about men like Bob Hoskins, Ed Asner, or James Gandolfini. If I had to mention a current actor, I’d go with Hovik Keuchkerian, the actor and former boxer.

BWM: What inspires you to keep creating art? Are the men you draw based on real people?

Polleiro: What drives me to keep drawing non-stop is the endless desire to depict this ideal of masculine beauty that has obsessed me since childhood. Like many gay men of my generation, I grew up without a model of a strong, virile gay man—a powerful queer hero who could silence homophobes. When I draw these men, in a way, I’m filling that void while also learning and enjoying myself. Drawing brings me immense pleasure, as you can probably imagine!

I mostly encounter these men in my everyday life, it’s the construction worker I see from my window, the baker who sells me bread, the gardener who takes care of the plants in the park, or those other men I pass every day on the street or on the subway, ordinary men who surely don’t imagine how attractive they are in the eyes of other men like me.

BWM: Tell us about Bear Week Paris. When is it? How did you come to be invited?

Polleiro: The editor of my books, David Foissard, is French. One day, he called me to say he had spoken with Dominique Chaudey, one of the most active members of the Paris Bears Association, and that they wanted to invite me to collaborate on their 25th anniversary celebration in May of this year. They asked me to design the poster, the T-shirt, and the program, as well as prepare an exhibition at the most popular bear venue in Paris—and worldwide—the Bear’s Den.

Of course, I was thrilled by the proposal and couldn’t say no. I’m eagerly looking forward to the last week of May to celebrate this milestone with all the bears who want to join the party!

BWM: Tell us about the Kickstarter for the book and the dates for the campaign. When is the book coming out?

Polleiro: The Kickstarter campaign, which will last one month, started on February 14, and will end on March 14.

I’m happy to share that within the first six hours, we had already reached 100% of the necessary funding to make the book happen. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who made this possible.

Here’s the link to order: http://kck.st/4hVLp3T

Or you can scan the QR code:

For anyone who wants to buy the book through Kickstarter, there will be many exclusive rewards such as bookmarks, postcards, stickers, a calendar, a poster, and more—items that won’t be available in stores later.

The book will be printed in April and ready to ship between May and June.