Co-Founder, Studio Kink Sydney (2015–Present)

Shibari Educator • Performer • Community Builder

He/Him/Fluid/Poly

Mark DeViate is an internationally respected Shibari educator, performer, and community organiser whose public journey into kink began in 2001. Privately, his exploration dates back to the early 1980s, laying a foundation for decades of learning, teaching, and community building.

In 2001, Mark and his partner Aleni co-founded DV8House – a private home that became a hub for immersive kink gatherings and skill-sharing events. It was a formative space that shaped Sydney’s emerging BDSM scene and connected many of its early players.

By 2005, Mark had stepped onto the global stage, presenting at the Austin Ropecraft Symposium and becoming a regular educator at ShibariCon in Chicago. His rope work – refined through mentorship with Osada Steve in Japan and grounded in the Akechi Denki tradition— – known for its precision, sensuality, and emotional intensity.

In 2006, a spontaneous scene at the Sydney Hellfire Club sparked a long-running performance partnership with Lani. Together, their dynamic and emotionally charged performances became a hallmark of Sydney’s kink nightlife, culminating in a final Hellfire performance in 2019.

In 2015, Mark, Lani, and Aleni co-founded Studio Kink Sydney – a dedicated centre for kink education and community support. Mark teaches across a broad spectrum of topics, including rope suspension, SM, hook suspension, and consent-forward sexual play. His classes are celebrated for their clarity, accessibility, and unwavering focus on safety and respect.

Mark has been a long-time contributor to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, helping coordinate floats since 2002. His efforts have amplified kink and leather visibility on Oxford Street, including Studio Kink’s 2024 award-winning float and the historic Liberated in Leather float in 2025.

Beyond the dungeon, Mark has collaborated with Opera Australia – providing authentic Shibari for the 2019 production of Madama Butterfly – and regularly presents on kink and consent at university Sex Week events across Sydney and the ACT.

At the core of everything Mark does is a deep commitment to creating spaces where people can learn, connect, and be unapologetically themselves. His rope lifts bodies – but more importantly, it brings people together.