GAYLETTER

In 1976, Printed Matter, Inc. opened its doors with the “mission to foster the appreciation, dissemination, and understanding of artists’ books and other artists’ publications.” Nearly 30 years later, the store continues to support contemporary artists and independent publications. Naturally, they carry GAYLETTER.

The 10th Avenue location is pretty tight, but they’re moving to a corner spot nearly double the size on 11th Avenue and are set to open in September. Like any store really should, Printed Matter is kicking off their final days with a little Wednesday night kiki. Starting today, July 9 and through the end of July, the store will be selling available items at “discounts up to 50% and beyond.” I can’t guarantee they’re hinting at that ridiculous 90% off, but let’s hope? A cute, thick artbook can liven up any space, so here’s your chance to do so while helping out a legendary organization. From 5:00-8:00PM there will be cocktails and refreshments, plus music by RVNG INTL’s Matt Werth and Georgia. Go get a little mid-week buzz on and shop the sale before everything is gone! …

It’s a whiskey slugging cabaret sing-a-long. It’s a self-aware train wreck. It’s Molly Pope Likes your Status. People are raving about this shit. Apparently her voice sounds like Bette Midler and Bridgett Everett shaken into one long Manhattan. Even the queens over at Time Out New York describe her as a “viscerally thrilling alto.” Plus, she literally drinks almost an entire bottle of Jameson during every show. While singing. Ok Molly Pope.

 
The performance is Friday, July 10th, at the Duplex Cabaret and Piano Bar. A friend of GAYLETTER, Joshua Weidenmiller, told us “She’s like an old icon that feels brand new.” Now, I’m not saying she’s the new Amy, but it sounds like this lady is fucked up in all the right ways. If you’re looking for some retro glam debauchery with a 60’s beehive to boot, this sounds like your move. “The boys go crazy for her.”

 
$15-18, 9:30PM, The Duplex, 61 Christopher St. New York, NY. …

David is a 25 year old graphic designer from Orlando. He grew up in the rural area of Brooksville, Florida where he lost his virginity to a boy at the age of 16 (yaaaas for the twink farm-boy role play!). We asked him if he had ever been with a woman: “once,” he said “but nothing past first base.” That’s cute. He’s currently single, and just recently moved to New York with his dog, Potato. He loves a guy with great, strong thighs. If you’re inked up, and independent, that’s a plus.

His ideal date is: “Rolling a few joints for the day and listening to music, then heading to the beach to relax on a blanket until we’re ready to jump in the water. Grab food on the way home then spread out for a nap. Salty hair and skin.” While you’re cuddling before you nap, get personal with his bright blue eyes; they’re his favorite part of his body and a big part of his Instagram account. No shame in branding yourself. He prefers to sleep in briefs, or nothing at all. His cuddling criteria has been set; take note, hunties!

He’s “not much of a high maintenance guy” — brushing his teeth, trimming his beard and getting haircuts when necessary are the extent of his beauty routine. Though he does take baths every other week, because he likes the feeling of floating; “it’s calming.” He wants to continue working in advertising, but ideally wants to find an Australian hubby so they can relocate down under and live happily ever after with a considerable amount of dogs. …

OK, these images famed book publisher Taschen just sent me by the legendary artist George Quaintance worked my last nerve. I know, I’ve been wearing that expression out (especially all over Fire Island of late) but when it fits, it fits. I am wholly embarrassed to say that I knew nothing of this artist until about twenty minutes ago. George was a true trailblazer making erotic blatantly homosexual themed works in the forties and early fifties. “George Quaintance lived and worked during an era when homosexuality was repressed, when his joyful paintings and physique photos could not depict a penis. In an era before Stonewall, the sexual revolution, gay rights and the AIDS crisis, Quaintance and his high camp erotic art existed in a demi-monde of borderline legality.”

I mean this George had balls, literally and figuratively, creating this hot and horny kind of imagery way back in the day. His show titled “The Flamboyant Life and Forbidden Art of George Quaintance“ opening July 3, at the TASCHEN gallery in LA is, if you can believe it, the first public show of his works-ever! He only made 55 oil paintings in his lifetime that spanned the years 1902-1957 and until recently were only traded amongst a very private select few. In addition to George’s work the show is rounded out with pieces by Tom of Finland , who George greatly influenced, as well as photographs by Bob Mizer. I almost need to get on a plane to see the works in person but as it’s the 4th of July and the show comes down the end of August I’m gonna stay on the east coast and try my best to get laid! …

Dirty Looks: On Location is a film series created Bradford Nordeen. Tonight (Wednesday 1st July) he has enlisted Sam Ashby and Ginger Brooks Takahashi to curate the first screening for 2015.  Sam Ashby is a London based artist, designer, writer and he has been a long time friend to GAYLETTER and we can vouch that his taste is unique, and impeccable. He has a great talent of sniffing out under-appreciated queer films that are worth re-watching. His film publication Little Joe has been around since 2010 and is a wonderful “forum for the discussion of film around subjects of sexuality and gender within a queer historical context.”

The event takes place at White Columns on east 13th street. If you’re unfamiliar with the space here’s a little backstory: White Columns is “New York’s oldest alternative art space. It was founded in 1970 by Jeffrey Lew and Gordon Matta-Clark as an experimental platform for artists. 

Ginger Brooks Takahashi is the “co-founder of LTTR, a queer and feminist art journal, and projet MOBILIVRE BOOKMOBILE project, a traveling exhibit of artist books and zines. She received her BA from Oberlin College, attended the Whitney Independent Study Program, and is a member of the touring musical act MEN.”

The event sounds super interesting, the films being shown are drawn from Ashby’s archive of movies made on Fire Island, and is “activated through Ginger Brooks Takahashi’s live modular synthesizer soundtrack, Fire Island Film + Sound is an audio-visual experience that explores the Island as a site of queer exile, utopia, sexual liberation and trauma.” …

Dan Sickles and Antonio Santini met at a party in the West Village about 8 years ago while they were both attending NYU. Dan Sickles is 26 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Antonio is 25 from San Juan, Puerto Rico. They are the directors of the film Mala Mala, a documentary about the transgender community of Puerto Rico that’s now playing at the IFC Center in NYC. We were drawn to this powerful story and decided to reach out to the directors, to shoot them and ask them some questions. 

Tell me about when you first met? 

Dan Sickles: It was at a party in the West Village?

Antonio Santini: Yeah…I walked in and he was wearing a sombrero, and the party was really boring. It was my birthday the next week, so I sent him a Facebook message and was like “hey, you want to come to my party? As my date?”

DS: He asked if I’d come and I went and I don’t know, we just started hanging out after that.

AS: And we became friends.

Did you guys date right after that? 

DS: No, we’ve never dated.

When did you start working on this film?

DS: Almost three years ago, December 2011.

So how did you become interested in the transexual community in Puerto Rico?

DS: That’s a bit of a long story. Antonio and I had met this drag queen Maggie, in Austin, Texas. It was at a competition at this club, and she was incredible, but a terrible drag queen in most senses, like she wasn’t a good dancer, she wasn’t into the whole lip singing thing, she had props that were like used almost like weapons. …