Though he is based mostly in Paris, it is clear from the volumes of Ashram that Saxkal regularly dreams of the communal rural hippie life, with regular doses of free love and a bevy of more-or-less available women.

As the introduction clarifies, ‘Here are the eight women currently residing at the ashram. Don’t be surprised if you come across others. Some women only stop by occasionally depending on their availability, so they are not regulars. Others are friends or former disciples who help out in a friendly way. The duration of the ashram training is not defined by a specific time, but by your individual requirements and the appreciation of the person concerned. If you, or someone close to you, feels motivated by this training, you can contact us here. The financial considerations can be reduced and are sometimes zero, but woofing-style (farm work) participation is obligatory. Sex and the sacred, the world and the divine, make us one.’

Saxkal’s graphic style pays homage to a wide range of influences, including Robert Crum, Moebius and Manara, and the texts are equally intelligent, regularly quoting from literary and philosophical sources. As one reviewer writes, ‘Saxkal offers us beautiful and great eroticism, tinged with philosophy, esotericism, playful and educational. He makes us want to venture into his quest. This is a book to share and to sharpen our libido. In short, a beautiful work. I remain under the spell of this first opus and await the sequel with impatience.’

Ashram, Ashram II, and soon-to-be Ashram III, are published by Musardine, and can be purchased from Saxkal’s online shop here.