{"title":"Live Big, Love Hard - Art from the 70s,80s, and 90s","description":"\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\"\u003eWelcome. Let’s Dance. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\"\u003eWhen you read that, how do you feel? What images come to mind?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\"\u003eThroughout history, dance has been a language as universal as it is unique to the culture creating it. The movement of the body through space, a physical expression that can command presence, release tension, and communicate power, tenderness, defiance, and exultation, depending on the steps (and the partner).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\"\u003eQueer communities have always found solace in dance, creating space wherever they could to move, sway, hold each other, and collectively raise the vibration around them. The work on this walls mirrors this ritual not literally, but as a reflection of the energy we generate inside ourselves and together.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\"\u003eThe Bay Area has long ebbed and flowed with the energy of the times, while often eschewing it in defiance of a new beat. The nine artists in this exhibition were here during one of the most extraordinary and electric periods any American community has created for itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"preFade fadeIn\"\u003eThe 70s saw sexual liberation, political awakening, on a scale the country had never seen and the resulting backlash, as depicted in the expressive Castro street scenes and vibrant nudes painted by Ramon Vidali and the intimate polaroids from the Fairoaks Baths. The 80s brought AIDS and the institutional silence that deems some lives expendable, which stalked David Dashiell as he created his fur swathed Reverberation in 1986, and which Rex defied through raw sexual imagery. The 90s brought rage, survival, and the slow, uneven work of rebuilding, when Laurie Toby Edison set about intimately photographing nude bodies of people society often saw as invisible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eThere is a version of queer history that gets told as tragedy. The losses tallied, the names read aloud, the grief carried forward like a debt that never gets paid down. That version is true. It is also incomplete.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eLive Big, Love Hard is not a memorial, though it honors those we've lost. It is not a history lesson, though there is much to be learned. It is the choreography of a community that understood that finding joy, within ourselves and each other, is integral to survival. The sequins were armor. The dancing was escape, and ritual. The laughter was not denial but a collective refusal to let grief be the loudest thing in the room.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eMany of the works in this show have not been seen by the public in decades. Some pieces passed many hands after their makers passed, nearly lost. That they still exist is something to celebrate. That they are gathered here at 575 Castro, in the neighborhood where much of this history was made, feels exactly right. As we put the work on the walls, we could imagine these artists dancing together, each bringing their own moves, partnering, colliding, and swirling. How lucky are we to be witness to such a gathering?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eWe are reminded that generations have built the floor we dance on now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body preFade fadeIn\" data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"preFade fadeIn\"\u003eAND WE KEEP DANCING, BECAUSE THEY REFUSED TO STOP.\u003c\/h3\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"live-big-love-hard-fairoaks-project-prints","title":"LIVE BIG, LOVE HARD - Fairoaks Project - Prints","description":"\u003cp\u003eA selection of two polaroids by Frank Mellano, enlarged and printed on archival paper. Signed by restorer and Fairoaks patron, Gary Freeman. 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Ramon Vidali - Untitled Portrait #2","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRamon Vidali\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUntitled Portrait #2\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLate 1970s-Early 1980s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e$1,200\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA portion of proceeds will be \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003edonated to SF AIDS Foundation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Queer Arts Featured","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45701677023423,"sku":"RV09","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/4583\/9807\/files\/IMG_4485-Photoroom.jpg?v=1780784203"},{"product_id":"live-big-love-hard-ramon-vidali-untitled-portrait-3","title":"LIVE BIG, LOVE HARD - 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Ramon Vidali - Untitled Portrait #4","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRamon Vidali\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUntitled Portrait #4\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLate 1970s-Early 1980s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcrylic on canvas\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e$1,200\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA portion of proceeds will be \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003edonated to SF AIDS Foundation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Queer Arts Featured","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45701678399679,"sku":"RV12","price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/4583\/9807\/files\/IMG_4488-Photoroom.jpg?v=1780784496"},{"product_id":"live-big-love-hard-dennis-kennedy-untitled-crisco","title":"LIVE BIG, LOVE HARD - Dennis Kennedy - Untitled (Crisco)","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDennis Kennedy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUntitled [Crisco]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1980\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInk on illustration board\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e$1,300\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Queer Arts Featured","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45701678563519,"sku":"DK01","price":1300.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/4583\/9807\/files\/IMG_4088_86315cea-9732-4f44-ba26-db26c1b7db6b.jpg?v=1781223447"},{"product_id":"live-big-love-hard-michael-palmer-untitled-lithograph","title":"LIVE BIG, LOVE HARD - Michael Palmer - Untitled Lithograph","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMichael Palmer\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUntitled Lithograph\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1985\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLithograph print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e$250 framed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e$150 unframed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-----\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMichael Palmer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen Jordy Jones came across a gorgeous lifelike 5’ x 5’ painting of a leather daddy that once hung in The Jackhammer on Sanchez Street (1994?-1996) signed Palmer, he had questions. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom Jones’ piece in The Gay Highwayman: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e“A quick consultation trip to Brand X antiques in the Castro district secured a last name, a look at a couple of prints on sale for a couple of thousand dollars each, and an awful story. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe proprietor told us that the artist’s first name was Michael. He had quite an extensive body of work, most of which he held in his studio. When he died in the middle of the plague years, his mother, horrified by her little boy’s adult proclivities, destroyed everything.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis sort of thing happens too often. Wonderful Willie Walker, friend of this site, and founding member of the Gay and Lesbian Historical Society, used to dumpster-dive the estates of deceased gay men whose “families” would throw away their collections in shame. Walker – a hero to gay historians and a legend among archivists of any stripe. We miss you, you little weirdo.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWestern art is built on the bodies of naked ladies. They call it “The Nude.” The ancients understood the beauty of the male body. We understand it. But – and this is for artists and collectors especially – the folks might not. Make wills, make bequests, make sure your lover has power of attorney, give gifts to the young gays and make sure the good stuff gets into good hands. Generations coming up will need their history. We are making it now and it is our responsibility to make sure it survives.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMeantime, any information on Michael Palmer, gay artist living in San Francisco in the 1980’s would be much appreciated.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e-Jordy Jones\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe above lithograph is one of the few miraculous survivals of what was undoubtedly a powerful *body of work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Queer Arts Featured","offers":[{"title":"Framed","offer_id":45701683314879,"sku":"MIP02","price":250.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Unframed","offer_id":45701683347647,"sku":"MIP01","price":150.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/4583\/9807\/files\/IMG_3962.jpg?v=1781223361"},{"product_id":"live-big-love-hard-rex-untitled-print","title":"LIVE BIG, LOVE HARD - REX - Untitled print","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eREX\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUntitled \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1982\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVintage single print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e$400\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e----\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eREX\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e(1943?-2024)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbandoned at birth, his real name and exact birthday are unknown, but references indicate a date in the 1940s. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn early career in fashion illustration took him to Paris, London, and New York. \"His fondest memories ... [were] the 'Cottages', the t-rooms, the public pissoirs, temples conceived and existing solely to bring relief to the male member, not distinguishing between straight or gay, and unconcerned with superficial conditions like color or religion, or how old or young, how pretty or ugly, how rich or poor the cock is.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHis distinctively styled black-and-white pen-and-ink drawings quickly became synonymous with an emerging S\u0026amp;M graphic style, with contemporaries like Tom of Finland, Dom Orejudos aka Etienne, Steve Masters, and Luger. Robert Mapplethorpe explored similar themes on the East Coast.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHe legally changed his name sometime in the 1970s or early '80s to be purposefully vague and untraceable by the police, as hardcore gay fetish art was still unwelcome in the conservative and homophobic culture of the era.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAs Jack Fritscher, editor of Drummer Magazine declared, “Rex is an artist of urban toilets, blue-collar hotels, filthy construction workers, greasy gas jockeys, muscled bikers, tattooed fighters, beautiful young homeless bums ... ex-cons, armpit-sweaty beautiful studs needing head – all these unshaved ‘lone wolves’ in jockstraps, leather, boots, and torn tanktops ... who pay-per-night in sleaze-bag hotels where sailors, Marines, cops, and drifters lie back on stained mattresses, the smoke of their cigarettes drifting out the crack of their rooms, down to the toilet where the cracked urinal drips beer piss, and the graffiti-covered stall is drilled with gloryholes …”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn July 1, 1981, REX opened his own gallery, Rexwerk, in his South of Market (SOMA) studio on Hallam Street in San Francisco. Only ten days later it was destroyed in a fire that could not have come at a worse time, for July 1981 was also the same month the first case of (what a year later was called) AIDS was diagnosed in the city of San Francisco.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eREX eventually moved to culturally liberal Amsterdam, and passed away in March, 2024. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Queer Arts Featured","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45701691408575,"sku":"RX01","price":400.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/4583\/9807\/files\/Photoroom_20260611_165248.jpg?v=1781222172"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0619\/4583\/9807\/collections\/Photoroom_20260611_165317.jpg?v=1783024874","url":"https:\/\/queerartsfeatured.myshopify.com\/collections\/live-big-love-hard-art-from-the-70s-80s-and-90s.oembed","provider":"Queer Arts Featured","version":"1.0","type":"link"}