GAYLETTER

GAYLETTER

Friday 09.23.22

BUSHWIG 2022 – Part 2

More from the 2 day festival celebration with Juno Birch, Kevin Aviance, Beaujeangless, Charlene, Milk, Serena Tea, Untitled Queen and many more...

Monday 09.19.22

Bushwig 2022

Celebrating 11 years of America's best drag event with Tyler Ashley, Bailey J. Mills, Warhola Pop, Victoria Holiday, West Dakota, Anoma Lia, Amanda Lepore, Linda Simpson, Vena Cava, Qhrist Almighty, Horrorchata and many more.

Saturday 09.17.22

Courréges club x Interview Magazine – NYFW

Friday 09.16.22

RYAN DRISCOLL

In the heart of England is Corby, an old steel town, which painter Ryan Driscoll calls “the epitome of the color gray.” Since childhood, Driscoll was forced into the dutiful British pleasure of reading Shakespeare, and despite his dyslexia, fell in love with the stories. Occasional trips to the National Gallery in London inspired his tendency toward the mythological melodrama and old-school flare of the museum’s massive allegorical oil paintings, and when at home, he grew up watching old Hollywood films. “I’ve probably seen Cleopatra about ten times through,” he admits. Modeling for his own paintings, Driscoll has become something of a performer, assuming a range of characters — monsters, witches, warriors, queens, fairies, deities. It’s fantasy through a queer lens, somehow sweet but also dry, outrageous and campy at the same time as it’s gentle and unrelentingly romantic. Cindy Sherman meets William Blake, Michael Powell meets Max Ernst, Bronzino meets Joseph Campbell — Driscoll offers his own spin on traditional iterations of the hero and villain, becoming a shape-shifter for an assembly of elegantly surreal dramatizations.

 

Mostly working in oil and watercolor, Driscoll is largely self-taught, his pseudo-Mannerist style highly informed by observation. “No one else uses the technique I use, and they probably shouldn’t,” he laughs. “I’ve got a feeling it’s not economically or logistically sound.” Only a few of his friends are artists, and he feels mostly on the outside of the current vogue of figurative painting in the art world. He spends most of his time painting and sees social media as a way to get eyes on his work. …

Tuesday 09.13.22

Queer Maximalism x Machine Dazzle exhibition preview and reception at the museum of arts and design

The multimedia exhibition featuring fantastical costumes by the artist and performer will be on view through february 19, 2023.

Thursday 08.18.22

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE NIPPLE PIERCING

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Tuesday 08.09.22

BIKING IN BRIEFS

Back in September 2010, we suggested in our weekly newsletter to go outside for a bike ride around NYC — in your underwear. You feel a bit silly at first, but once that passes, it becomes great fun — you'll feel somewhat liberated. Embrace your inner-exhibitionist and explore the city like you never have before. Go outside and show some skin. As long as your junk stays in the trunk, you'll be fine. 12 years later we decided to ask a few friends to experience the feeling of riding a bike in just a white brief.

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Thursday 07.28.22

Oliver Sim

Oliver Sim is best known as one third of the xx, a band he formed with schoolmates Romy Madley Croft and Jamie Smith when they were in their teens, living in Wandsworth, London. Their stripped back musical style and lovelorn lyrics complemented by Oliver and Romy’s distinctive vocals made them critical darlings. Their first album released in 2009 became a commercial hit, reaching number three on the U.K. album charts. Two more albums followed along with years of touring. While Romy and Oliver were both open about their sexuality, Oliver never used male pronouns in lyrics to suggest same-sex desire until his recent solo debut, Hideous Bastard (2022). In the album he ventures into even more revealing territory, declaring in the last line of the song “Hideous” that he has been living with H.I.V. since he was 17. This admission is one of many on the album, which draws inspiration from horror films, and while pondering deeper themes is still joyous and musically unbridled. Produced by bandmate Jamie xx, the album sets a high bar for all involved. We chatted with Oliver this May, right before he was about to leave for a scheduled U.S. tour that was unfortunately delayed because of a covid outbreak in his band. Oliver was open, friendly, and more than ready to kick off this new chapter of his life.

 

How are you doing? I’m good. I’ve just been in the countryside visiting my bandmate Romy.

 

Oh, nice. How was the shoot with Wolfgang [Tillmans who photographed Oliver for this story]? …

Tuesday 07.26.22

AllTogether: New York — Sponsored by Diesel, Tom of Finland Foundation, and The Community

A catalogue celebration with music by Silvia Prada and Sunzhique at 99 Scott Studio in Brooklyn, NY.

Tuesday 07.19.22

A SHORT HISTORY OF THE THONG

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Tuesday 07.05.22

NYC Drag March 2022

The march started in Tompkins Square Park and ended in front of the Stonewall Inn.

Saturday 07.02.22

BUSHWIG X GARDENS PRIDE 2022: FLOWERS – Pt.2