Palm Springs Pride Show
All Male Revue
The Male Form in Art
Now Thru November 8
Opening Reception: Saturday, Oct 23, 5 to 9 pm
Nour Ballout - Photography
James Frederic Bone (1929-2015) - Drawing
Kurtis Dallon - Photography
Gabriel Garbow - Watercolor
Carol Hammond - Watercolor
Lester Johnson (1919-2010) - Painting
Bob Mizer (1922-1992) - Portraiture Photography
Mylo Quam (1941-1996) - Drawing
Colin Roberts - Bronze
Troy Schooneman - Portraiture Photography
Joe Sinness - Color Pencil Realism
Russ White - Painting, Drawing, Collage
Melissa Wilkinson - Painting Portraiture
Rubine Red gallery presents All Male Revue, a group exhibition highlighting the many renditions of the male form in art. The history of the male form, as depicted in Western Art, even today remains focused on the depiction and promotion of the hyper-masculine portrait of virility and dominance under the guise of exaggerated musculature and an almost-supernatural physique.
Reality aside, the idealism of the dominant “manly” hero has been a staple in Western fine art and a perfect propaganda tool in asserting authority and reenforcing cultural norms. From the Greco-Roman era to the renaissance and Michelangelo, this idealized form of eroticism (whether realistic or not) tends to persist.
The questioning of what it means to be masculine is not a contemporary phenomenon. Donatello’s sculpture from 15th century David is a perfect example of a demure and androgynous young male who succeeds in defeating the much-larger Goliath. However, this depiction is in stark contrast to Western Art’s expectations of the male form and is, in fact, often vilified.
In contemporary society, where norms, aesthetics and assumptions about masculinity and gender are currently in flux, the definitions of what it means to be masculine (or feminine) is being reexamined.
Importantly, we wish the exploration of forms and representations in our show could be more expansive and perfectly in-tune with all aspects of the male form in art (and current societal movements). Moreover, we hope this show inspires talk and wonder and thought on all of the important topics the show navigates.
Explore more about these artists by clicking on their linked names above.
PS: Most art shows throughout history have been "All Male Reviews" -- something not unnoticed.
SPECIAL FEATURE:
Bob Mizer: Rare Editions
RRG is very proud to have acquired 3 fantastic, original Bob Mizer Photographs for our exhibition!
Bob Mizer's earliest photographs appeared in 1942, in both color and black and white. In spite of societal expectations and pressure from law enforcement, Mizer built a veritable empire on his beefcake photographs and films. He established the influential studio, the Athletic Model Guild (AMG) in 1945, [and then] published the first issue of Physique Pictorial (magazine)...[from] his home in Los Angeles. He photographed thousands of men, building a collection that includes nearly two million different images and thousands of films and videotapes. Regardless of the [authorities'] attempts to suppress his work, Mizer continued to pursue his vision, influencing artists like Robert Mapplethorpe and David Hockney. Over time he captured on film the career beginnings of a number of soon-to-be Hollywood actors, including Glenn Corbett, Tab Hunter and Dennis Cole. Examples of Mizer's work are now held by esteemed educational and cultural institutions the world over, and can be found in various books, galleries, and private art collections. -- Sourced from Wikipedia (learn more HERE).
