GAYLETTER

GAYLETTER

Marcus Leatherdale's self portrait

What’s Left of Leatherdale

Preserving the queer archive

Any homo with half a brain knows that the history of “gay New York” is an exhilarating mix of sex and glamour and death and disease. It’s these opposing extremes which makes it so intoxicating to learn about. Which is why when we see a good opportunity to connect with our lineage we do just that. It’s one reason why living in New York City can be so exciting and melancholic — our history is all around us if we just look for it.

 

If you often lust for an NYC long gone, connect with the city’s queer history by checking out this campaign for the upcoming photo-memoir by photographer Marcus Leatherdale. He’s titled it What’s Left of Leatherdale, and is promising to offer viewers his unique perspective on “a place & time in New York City that stands as one of the most provocative, creative eras the city has seen.”

 

Marcus was thrown into the NYC art and nightlife scene in 1979 and slowly became an “It kid” and a contemporary to queer icons like Andy Warhol, Grace Jones, and Robert Mapplethorpe. This queen knew them all and he has the photos to prove it!

 

His work spans from 1978-2005. He’s seen Palladium go from one of the best dance clubs in town to a dorm for rich kids, worked, and lived, through the epidemic, and seen the city change from a nexus of art, culture, and nightlife to, well, however you wanna describe what it is now.

 

What’s Left of Leatherdale will be made up of interviews with Leatherdale conducted over the past 10 years along with hundreds of photos, diaries, press cuttings, and more.

 

Pledge now and get a signed, advance-release copy! This thing is all or nothing, so let’s ban together and ensure that this important work survives, and the queer histories before us continue to live on.

 

Below are some images from the book:

 

Andt Warhol. Henry Post .ML Metropolotan Club 1982_GAYLETTER

 

Debbie Harry . ML at Sotheby's benifit_GAYLETTER

 

debbie Harry_GAYLETTER

 

Iman .post taxi-accident 1983 4.2_GAYLETTER

 

John Dugdale Portrait 1982 .2_GAYLETTER

 

John Dugdale portrait 1982_GAYLETTER

 

Louise Bourgeois, Andy Marcus, ML..Baird Jones

 

Studio 54. Robert & me. Anton Parish 1979 4.1_GAYLETTER

 

Theirry Mugler & Bubbles at my Studio Xmas Party_GAYLETTER

 

Larissa-Issey Miyake_GAYLETTER

 

Liza Minelli ML..Punch rest. 90s_GAYLETTER

 

Otello_GAYLETTER

 

Veruschka, Alex ML 90s_GAYLETTER

 

Self Portrait 1985 4.2_GAYLETTER

 

Andy Warhol HI cover_GAYLETTER

 

NYC 80's Sailor painting pose 4.2_GAYLETTER

 

Peter Berlin ML 2 SF 1977_GAYLETTER