GAYLETTER

The Danish artist, based in Berlin and Copenhagen, Jeppe Hein has a cool interactive art installation at the Brooklyn Bridge Park for their annual “artistic turnover of its greenery.” He’s known for his interactive sculptures and installations that usually “combine elements of humour with the traditions of minimalism and conceptual art of the 1970s.” The exhibition is presented by Public Art Fund, I am excited to go visit the installation — it sounds like a perfect Summer activity especially if you’ve smoked some greens beforehand or taken some mushrooms (you know, the usual outdoor Summer GAYLETTER activity, just kidding, but that does sound nice.) The exhibition contains 18 “whimsical” pieces on view from park benches, there’s a “Mirror Labyrinth,” which looks very trippy (“The strips vary in height and reflect the surrounding cityscape, including the skyline of Lower Manhattan, which stands directly across the river.”) as well as a grid of “rooms formed by lines of water jets that visitors can step into and out of.” It’s a fountain in which two-metre-high walls are formed by jets of water that shoot up and down. The best part of the show, especially in this heat is that you can have a refreshing shower and who knows if you are not wearing underwear you might get some attention in the park — remember you are in Brooklyn they’re very pro-nudity.  —Abi

Some friends of GAYLETTER are putting together this play that’s part of this year’s 24th annual HOT! Festival of Queer Culture at Dixon Place. It’s happening this Saturday, for one night only. Directed by Rau Ry Szelong, it’s written by Kyle Rogers. PENTUP Studio (who did some B.T.S videos for our last issue) is doing all the visuals for the show. It features Kai Cameron & Reid Spencer Gilbard. Here is some information about the show, it “tells the sexual-coming-of-age of a small boy who is Not Quite Like His Peers. Through memory, accidents, and copious amounts of shame, we watch the small boy debate with himself how to evolve when there’s been no template before him. We watch him develop and actualize a potential – one that’s not quite successful, not quite traditional, yet still self-fulfilling.” To be honest with you, I haven’t seen the show yet, but GAYLETTER started as a word-of-mouth newsletter and we kind of have to trust our friends. Chase from PENTUP told me that “It’s shaping up to be quite a spectacle of pinks and projections and pretty boys of all kinds.” As long as there’s fucking, I am totally down.  —Abi

We were unsure whether to include this in the letter as it’s really only useful to those in Fire Island, or those heading to Fire Island this weekend, but honestly it sounds really fun so if you can get there, even just for a day, do it. BOFFO is an arts organization that puts on performance art events throughout the year. Every year in Fire Island, during the warmer months, they put on events around the island. This year they are taking things to the next level with its inaugural Performance Festival — it’s curated by Andrew Kachel and Clara López Menéndez and features 6 events. Some standouts are the guided walk led via audio programming by the talented artist Colin Self, and a “Beach Music Explosion” programmed in collaboration with Frankie Sharp that includes performances by Tyler Matthew Oyer (TMO), Lauren Devine, Jessica 6, La’fem Ladosha feat. Juliana Huxtable, Mykki Blanco, and Frankie Sharp. We love when smart events like this take place on Fire Island, that place can get a little overwhelming after about, hmmm, the first 30 minutes. It’s nice to bring some culture there, god knows those queens need it!  —tom

When a straight girl kisses another girl, at a party say, or in a hot tub at 3:00AM, high on molly, no one’s first reaction is to call her a lesbian, yet when a straight man does the same thing most people’s first reaction is to label him gay. Our society has an unusual double standard when it comes to straight men exploring their sexuality. In Jane Ward’s new book, the associate professor of women’s studies at the University of California, Riverside, lays out why she thinks we need to broaden our understanding of male sexuality. She explores many instances in which it’s common for straight men to seek out other straight men for sexual encounters, from biker gangs, to craigslist ads to public toilets, to frat houses. As far as Ward is concerned “straight-identified white men have engaged in — intimate or sexual encounters with one another since the very invention of heterosexuality and homosexuality as medical terms in the late 19th-century, and yet very little attention has been paid to it.” I love that attention is finally being paid to it! Ward believes we don’t even have the language yet to assimilate this kind of sexuality into our culture. While offering up a fascinating insight into male sexuality (we’re all for developing that language and expanding definitions) this book is also full of some super sexy anecdotes about dude on dude action. If you’re looking for a hot beach read you can’t get much better than this.  —tom

Anyone can take a photo of their food, but not everyone can take a GOOD photo of their food. And to be honest, if you don’t know how to take a pretty photo of your meal, just don’t. Nobody wants to see your badly lit, soggy schnitzel in their timeline. Food Photography 101 is a class at the Brooklyn Brewery lead by Clay Williams, whose work has appeared in Brownstoner and Gothamist and Sharon Radisch, who work has been featured in Epicurious and a bunch of other respectable publications. These pros will give audience members tips on how to turn their food photos from drab to fab (I’ve always wanted to write that). The two hour lesson is free to members of Edible Manhattan and Edible Brooklyn, otherwise it’s $10. There’s a chance to meet the photogs after, and of course plenty of opportunities to snap a few instagram pics. #nofilter  —tom

If you haven’t been to a Mx. Justin Vivian Bond show it’s probably because you are basic...or because you are an ignorant person or worse, because you don’t read our newsletter or our magazine (issue 1). I am kidding, I just wanted to grab your attention, but seriously you really need to go see Justin before the end of the Summer. Justin performed an Earth Day concert at this venue, Rockwood Stage 2 and loved it — “so much fun I’m coming back for more.” Justin will be performing with Thomas Barlett. I hear that V will be debuting some new original songs (yes bitch!) as well as performing some stuff from the albums Dendrophile and Silver Wells. It’s happening on Sunday, July 31st, so it’s kind of like going to church, but trust me you’ll learn more at this concert than from any preacher. Also, $15 for a ticket is very cheap, Justin is an expensive performer so this is a fucking bargain. Finally, Justin’s hair is super long and blonde at the moment, which we are really into. So like stop being basic and go see V, you owe it to yourself.  —Abi

It’s sweltering outside so this event is a no-brainer. The Aviator Sports and Events Center (yeah, I’ve never heard of it either) is hosting probably the funest thing you’ll do all summer: a giant adults-only water balloon fight. “Participants will be divided in two teams and will try to douse each other with as many water balloons as possible. Inflatable obstacles provide cover to make the game a little more interesting…” The event has a DJ and is well organized. You don’t have to do anything but show up. Some balloons are even filled with food tie to “spice things up.” I think an event like this could be a really great way to get out some stress. I recommend inviting a friend or co-worker you have issues with. Throw a couple of dozen water balloons at them with full force and I reckon you’ll soon be over your issues.  —tom