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foundation happenings from our
artist-in-residence michael kirwan
Since my last dispatch appeared in the last Dispatch
so much has happened here at the ToFF House that it boggles the imagination!
PETER BERLIN VISITS
First off, we had the Peter Berlin as a houseguest. He was here
because the documentary about him, “That Man, Peter Berlin”
was getting a showing at the Egyptian Theatre, arranged by the good
folks of Outfest and ToFF was the official sponsor (or something,
those kind of details don’t really register for me).
It was a great night, good attendance, and excellent energy. Kudos to
Keven Smith for his selfless diligence while putting all the pieces
together. Tom of Finland had made a number of drawings where Peter was
the subject and they are pretty sweet. The event was superb, but having
Peter around and getting to know him was really a treat. Peter was loquacious,
charming and exhibited a truly distinct philosophy and sense of humor.
I experienced a very unique and revelatory engagement with this homo
legend during his week here at ToFF. He’s a recognized idol and
icon, a living part of the gay aesthetic and the ultimate narcissist.
Our man, Peter Berlin, still maintains that classic mesmerizing basket,
that protruding promise that fills our collective imagination. I think
there’s yet another chapter of his story yet to behold....
TOM’S BAR
Hot on the heels of this spectacular occasion we careened
head first into Tom’s Bar (my first time, so I was trying
to absorb everything), a fundraiser held at the Faultline saloon. We
commandeered the sizable parking lot and built a stage, put up booths
to accommodate artists such as Hector Silva, Miguel Angel Reyes, Sergio
Kardenas... wildly beautiful men with magnificent talents.
There was a silent auction filled with some very impressive items (one
of my drawings was snapped up by sweeter-than-pie Buster, Mr. San Diego
Leather 2006), tattooing, and some other stuff that I was too drunk
to investigate properly. Tom’s Bar (which is a tribute to the
artist’s birthday) had a festive, feisty atmosphere and the whole
operation ran as smooth as silk thanks to the sure-handed ministrations
of Humpmeister & Board Member Scott and a cadre of dedicated
volunteers. I had a blast! My only regret was that I somehow missed
the “Best Butt” contest because I found myself otherwise
engaged in the men’s room. Oh, well. You know how that goes. One
“thing” leads to another....
AFTER DARK
No sooner had I recovered from that excellent adventure
then the first ever “ToFF House After Dark” —
which I conceived and hosted — was launched. I’d put together
a bunch of film clips from movies prior to 1985 that dealt with gay
representations and particular themes. The thread this time out was
“Dire Consequences” — essentially how homos were “dispatched”
in almost every depiction. I was lucky that my friend Stan is not only
a wonderful editor but also willing to help out on this project.
So we had about an hour’s worth of fags and dykes getting hung,
shot, gashed, frozen, burned alive — because that’s what
happens to those that don’t follow the rules! —
and then a lively discussion about the whole thing.
A lot of the younger folks in the audience were intrigued by these snippets
and I can only hope that they tracked down some of the films like Women
in Love, The Children’s Hour, Advise and Consent, and Victim
and see the entire production. The second in the series, “Love
& Obsession”, was cancelled due to the heat wave and before
I could even get around to rescheduling....
TOM OF FINLAND: ROUGH AT WESTERN PROJECT
I found myself at the opening of Tom of Finland:
Rough, a retrospective of Tom’s sketches and preliminary
drawings held at the lovely Western Project Gallery in Culver City.
Exquisitely put together by the stunning owner of the space, Cliff Benjamin,
this was one powerful exhibition.
Although I’d seen many of the pieces — since I am
living here at the ToFF House and there are beautiful examples of Tom’s
work hung throughout — it was nonetheless inspiring to watch the
reactions of the attendees as they beheld some of these rarely seen
treasures. Many people who were familiar with Tom’s finished work
were enthralled to witness the process and progression of the iconic
images.
I had quite a few conversations with unfamiliar people during the course
of this event and was surprised by the degree of interest and passion
that folks associated with the cultural impact Tom of Finland exerted
over popular culture. A bunch of us went out to dinner at a bowling
alley afterwards. Don’t ask me why I thought anyone would care
to know that fact, I just thought it was an unusual place to end the
evening. I could be wrong — but I doubt it.
SALON AT SPACE
|
Gingham
by Michael Kirwan |
So I extracted myself from human contact — as
much as possible, there’s always a wealth of activity here at
the ToFF House — and concentrated on creating three new drawings
for something called Salon at Space.
|
Michael
(right) and friend Anthony
enjoying Salon at Space. |
It was a local event with fellow artists Ivy Bottini,
Jay Jorgensen and Miguel Angel Reyes also hanging work at this fun,
funky, bohemian theater called Michael Kearn’s Space at Fountain’s
End. Yes, quite a mouthful. It turned out to be a charming, delightful,
friendly evening and was attended by some remarkably colorful people.
I fell in love at least a half dozen times and I thought that my new
pieces looked very striking in the ambient surroundings.
WEST HOLLYWOOD - LOS ANGELES WEEKEND
We’re involved in huge, elaborate jamborees like
Tom’s Bar and more intimate affairs like this “Salon”
thing. There’s even a fundraiser down Palm Springs, California
way on November 12th that I’ve gotta check out. On the go, on
a roll, on a mission.
Now we’ve got the Erotic Art Fair Weekend coming up in October.
This — I think — is the crown jewel of all of the activities
that ToFF is responsible for, and this year’s promises to be one
of the biggest, most carefully crafted, best promoted gathering of erotic
artists from around the world. It’s a special time for us guys
— and ladies — to reconnect and revel in the company of
our peers, and it’s also a great venue for meeting with the general
public whom we all serve.
If you’re in Los Angeles, near Los Angeles, have a vacation due
and would like to visit Los Angeles, make sure that the Erotic Art Fair
Weekend is on your itinerary. You absolutely will not be disappointed.
We’ll have cocktails! Hahahaha!!!!!! Your treat. |
