GAYLETTER

The 22 year-old from Monterey Rhyan Hamilton is currently in his final year at Marymount Manhattan College, where he’s studying Communications with a concentration in Creative Media. Speaking with him, it’s clear that Rhyan has a very clear sense of himself. He’s approachable, articulate and so passionate when he gets to talking about his upcoming project, I Want Them to Turn Black, that it’s impossible not to share in his excitement. The event, set for May 17^th, is a definite must. Hosted by Amanda Lepore, it will feature live sound by The House of Pain, a live-streamed performance by Lady Alchemy and the work of a number of New York City based artists.

We got to talking with Rhyan about his vision, his inspirations, and what we can do to help.

Hey Rhyan! Tell us a bit about yourself. First off, thanks for having me! I’m a fashion videographer, model, drag artist and Bay Area transplant based in Brooklyn. And curator, I suppose you could add to that list. And I’m also pursuing a rap career, but that’s another interview.

So, what is I Want Them to Turn Black? I WANT THEM TO TURN BLACK is a multi-media salon exploring Beauty, Monstrosity, and Fragility through the lenses of performance and new media. It’s a celebration really, of individuals who use their physicality to make art.

This interest in beauty, monstrosity — does it come from someplace personal? When I moved here from California in 2010, I never really had exposure to this kind of world — that manifests itself from standing out from everyone else. Back home, it’s very much about looking and feeling like everyone else. I was never really comfortable with this. I always wanted to stand out, and if I were to do something no one else was doing, I was going to do it perfectly.

The club scene in New York really asked me to challenge what I knew about fitting in. Here, fitting in was fitting-out. Over the course of the past few years I’ve watched people change: I’ve watched their faces change, their mannerisms, everything about them. It’s a question of identity, really. How much can you change before you’re a different person entirely? Vanity and perfection are words that are usually associated with negative connotations, but I think to devote your life to your representation is something of a sacrifice. I think there is a lot of bravery in it.

Rhyan photographed by Justin Violini

What inspires you, in general and in relation to this project? I’m really inspired by people who use their bodies to empower themselves or prove a point — performance artists, sex workers. When doing research for his project I read a lot of works on aestheticism. I’m inspired by people who use their body as their canvas.

When I met Amanda Lepore for the first time, I just didn’t really have words. She made a decision to devote herself to beauty, and I think that’s admirable. I think many would protest this statement, but I see Amanda Lepore as a feminist icon. Here is someone who took every expectation of women by men and the male gaze, accepted the challenge (intentionally or otherwise), and reconstructed her body to be an item of perfection. When you isolate each feature she has, she is objectively flawless. But in totality, when you get the whole picture, it’s bizarre. It’s a conundrum. And she lives her life as a spectacle. That, to me, is deserving of recognition.

How will this be different from all the other showcases and events out there? I think what makes this showcase different is that the theme is really specific without being specified. It’s not about gender or feminist discourse or issues surrounding body dysmorphia. It’s also not, not about them. It kind of transcends all of those things without undermining them. Everything is gong to be organic and unrehearsed. It’s going to happen once, and never happen again. I want it to feel very grounded yet really fleeting. I think that what each member of the audience will perceive will be different.

The first half of the salon will be very much a walk-around, gallery sort of set up followed by a performance in the second half which will be an experience more so than just something to watch. It’s going to be absolutely, almost illegal. Like, I thought about having people sign a waiver before viewing the performance haha. My goal is to put you on the edge of vertigo.

Now, how would you sum up what attendees have in store, what donors will be helping to realize —in one sentence? I Want Them to Turn Black is the democratic summation, deconstruction, and reinterpretation of the sacrifice that is Beauty, through a visually and aurally stimulating experience.

Anything else you think our readers should know? I almost forgot! In order to raise funding for the event, I’ve started an Indiegogo campaign to get things in motion. And if readers don’t have the means to contribute financially, there are other ways to help. The showcase is accepting art submissions online at iwantthemtoturnblack.com and I encourage everyone to submit something! We’re also looking for volunteers to help set up at the event. There are a ton of ways everyone can be a part of the experience. If you can’t make the showcase be sure to check out a live stream of the performance on the event’s site on the day of the showcase. See you there!

Rhyan in drag, photographed by Beryl Fine

I WANT THEM TO TURN BLACK will be taking place on May 17^th, 2014 at Colony Studios, 67 West St. Brooklyn, NY. It will streamed live on iwantthemtoturnblack.com.

To help Rhyan make this a reality, head over to his Indiegogo site and make a donation!