Austin-based artist Malek Lazri first made headlines back in 2020 when his homemade Fleshlight went viral. While unusable, he listed the device based on the caterpillar Heimlich from the 1998 Pixar movie “A Bug’s Life” on Craigslist for $2,000, earning him some media attention. His listing hilariously described the handmade Fleshlight as a rare collectible, labeling it “the holy grail” and only one of four in existence.
“Never publicly released only given to a select few high-ranking Pixar executives for personal use,” his ad claimed. “100% satisfaction guaranteed very light wear, gently used, do NOT SLEEP on this one folks!!!”
Little did he know that his fans would echo those words when discussing his work for years to come.
Riding his popularity, Lazri then created more than a dozen homemade Fleshlights inspired by beloved cartoon characters, including “Mrs. Incrediball Stuck Stepmom,” the Mignons “Eye-Full Tower,” the “Shreek Slughole” ear, and the “Cinderelli Ugly Stepsister Glass Slippa.” Unlike his first piece of work, Lazri’s newer handmade Fleshlights are technically functional.
“It’s the ultimate juxtaposition,” the artist explained in 2022, “and with art you want to make people feel something and jar the viewer and what’s better than that?”
Lazri’s most recent works of art focus on popular food items, including a pineapple, Chinese food takeout, a bucket of popcorn, and a homemade cherry pie.
Despite offering his handmade Fleshlights for $6,000, Lazri has yet to part with any of his creations. “It would stink for one of these to end up in some creepy basement, because then it would cease to exist,” he said. Rather than sell them individually, he hopes to someday sell them as a collection to be displayed in a museum.
“Wherever they go in their little lives, hopefully years in the future they all get together for one last hurrah.
