Hey folks,
I'm at a computer terminal in Los Angeles, waiting for my flight, and thought it might be a good time to give you a couple more links to check out...
In the last few months, John had some real nice coverage in two internet magazines. The beautiful Rhiannon Edwards interviewed John and I via Skype and put together a great article that appears at Trebuchet Magazine.
The very impressive Polish photography magazine doc! sent John a bunch of questions and gave him a lot of space to tell his story and talk about his love of photography -- and presented a lot of his pictures! -- in their second issue. Please check it out!
Oh, and for fans of Hollywood -- would you believe that Uggie from "The Artist" is sitting across the way from me, getting kisses from the girls while waiting for his plane? Ah, Los Angeles.....
Updates when possible... ciao for now!
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
John Palatinus in London!
Hey guys!
My pal Bernd has put together another opportunity for you all to meet 1950s physique photographer JOHN PALATINUS at his latest gallery exhibit in London!
Please come over to Space Station 65: Orbits in Contemporary Art on Friday, October 19 at 6:30 -- John will be there to meet friends old and new as we view not only his physique photos but a selection of his early 50s photos of Paris that originally gave him his love of photography, and jumping forward to some of his recent work that includes views of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's "The Gates" in New York and young ballet students he photographed on a recent trip to Cuba.
Space Station 65 is located at Building One, 373 Kennington Road, London SE11. It looks to be a real exciting space and I can't wait to see how gallery owners Jo David and Rachael House will showcase John's work in one of his favorite cities!
I have the great good fortune to be joining John and Bernd in London for this opening, so I hope any readers of this blog who have a couple of free hours that Friday night will come by and say Hi! This will be my first time in London and I'm really looking forward to seeing the sights and meeting some new friends.
John is going to be interviewed tonight, October 13, at "Duckie" at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane, London SE11. And he, Bernd and I will be at the Big Gay Lifestyle Show 2012 -- "The UK's Biggest Indoor LGBT Expo" -- on Saturday October 20 -- yes, the day after the opening, so we'll all still be high as kites with the excitement! That will be in the afternoon at the Grand Connaught Rooms, 61-65 Great Queen Street, London WC2B.
I'm arriving in London this Monday to do some siteseeing and meet up with some friends and friends-of-friends before the big events, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to post again until I get back in a couple of weeks. I'll try to sneak into someone's computer when the chance presents itself, but if you have any questions about the events, please follow the links above for more information and contact info.
It is always an exciting party at a John Palatinus Opening Night, so please join in and make this the most memorable evening yet for this wonderful artist!
Let's close off with one last photo -- a true rarity that arrived in the mail today! Linn Wickizer on the cover of "Physique Speak" #1 -- as photographed by (who else?!?) Mr. John Palatinus.
John Lees by Loveday
John Lees of Britain -- he had quite a competitive career as noted in his MuscleMemory profile, culminating in his winning the Mr. Universe title in 1957.
Bill Coggins
Apparently, the winner of Britain's Health & Strength's Perfect Man Contest of 1930 and 1932, as witnessed on the backside of this postcard photo...
Friday, October 12, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
The Blue Nile -- The Downtown Lights
By a wild stroke of luck, I discovered that one of my favorite singers, Paul Buchanan of The Blue Nile, has released his first solo album -- "Mid-Air." That led me to traveling through YouTube tonight, reliving some favorite songs and discovering some new (to me) collaborations...
Here's a song from The Blue Nile's classic second album, "Hats" -- one of the most perfect albums ever recorded.
Here's a song from The Blue Nile's classic second album, "Hats" -- one of the most perfect albums ever recorded.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
A note from Dennis Bell at AMG - Athletic Model Guild
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
John Palatinus in Cologne - 2 days left!
Hi friends,
There are only two more days to view the John Palatinus exhibit at Die Kunstagentin -- the wonderful gallery run by Anne Scherer. I talked to John this morning and while he deemed his lastest European tour a success, he was overflowing in his appreciation for the wonderful work put into the show by Ms. Scherer and her group (and, of course, by the wonderful team that his project manager Bernd has around him!).
There are a great selection of photos from the opening night at the gallery at the Die Kunstagentin site (by the way, that's German for "The Art Agent"). I'm embedding the 2 minute video below from that site so that you can get a glimpse of what an opening night with John Palatinus is like -- one great party!
The online magazine Queer.de has a great article about John at Die Kunstagentin which can be found here.
Remember, you only have until July 14 to see the show at Die Kunstagentin, Maastricht Strasse 26, 50672 Cologne.
But we aren't finished with Europe yet in 2012! John returns on October 19 -- in London! Details to follow!!!
There are only two more days to view the John Palatinus exhibit at Die Kunstagentin -- the wonderful gallery run by Anne Scherer. I talked to John this morning and while he deemed his lastest European tour a success, he was overflowing in his appreciation for the wonderful work put into the show by Ms. Scherer and her group (and, of course, by the wonderful team that his project manager Bernd has around him!).
There are a great selection of photos from the opening night at the gallery at the Die Kunstagentin site (by the way, that's German for "The Art Agent"). I'm embedding the 2 minute video below from that site so that you can get a glimpse of what an opening night with John Palatinus is like -- one great party!
The online magazine Queer.de has a great article about John at Die Kunstagentin which can be found here.
Remember, you only have until July 14 to see the show at Die Kunstagentin, Maastricht Strasse 26, 50672 Cologne.
But we aren't finished with Europe yet in 2012! John returns on October 19 -- in London! Details to follow!!!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
John Palatinus in Warsaw - June 28!
WARSZAWA
bis 01.. 07 2012
OTWARCIE 28.06.2012 – 19.00
JOHN PALATINUS, PALM SPRINGS, USA LIVE / present!
JOHN PALATINUS, PALM SPRINGS, USA LIVE / present!
OPENING WORDS BY
Robert Biedroń - member of the Polish Parliament
- poseł na Sejm RP
CLUB „M25“
ul. MINSKA - „SOHO FACTORY“ [PRAGA] - WARSZAWA
Niezwykły artysta. Niezwykła wystawa. Niezwykły wernisaż.W ramach swojego europejskiego tournee (Liege, Paryż, Londyn, Warszawa, Antwerpia, Kolonia, Berlin) przyjeżdża do Polski fotografik John Palatinus, pionier fotografii aktu męskiego. Jedyny żyjący artysta złotej ery fotografii "male physique". Jego twórczość była inspiracją dla takich artystów jak Robert Mapllethorpe. W dniach od 28 czerwca do 1 lipca 2012 w warszawskim klubie M25 będzie można obejrzeć jego prace z lat 1954-1959.
Mam dla Ciebie bezpłatne zaproszenie na wernisaż. Wystarczy wydrukować zaproszenie i przyjść w przyszły czwartek 28 czerwca o 19 do klubu M 25 w Warszawie. Możesz nie tylko zobaczyć fotografię ale i osobiście poznać artystę.
pozdrawiam i do zobaczenia (mam nadzieję)
[courtesy of Google Translate --
WARSAW
EXHIBITION - EXHIBITION
bis 01. 07 2012
OPENING 06/28/2012 - 19:00
JOHN Palatinus, Palm Springs, USA LIVE / Present!
OPENING WORDS BY
Robert Biedron - member of the Polish Parliament
- Member of Parliament
CLUB "M25"
st. MINSK - "SOHO FACTORY" [Prague] - WARSAW
An unusual artist. The extraordinary exhibition. The unusual opening.
As part of its European tour (Liege, Paris, London, Warsaw, Antwerp, Cologne, Berlin) come to Polish photographer John Palatinus, a pioneer of photography act masculine. The only living artist, the golden age of photography "male physique". His work was an inspiration for artists such as Robert Mapllethorpe. From 28 June to 1 July 2012 in Warsaw club M25 will be on his works from the years 1954-1959.
I have for you a free invitation to the opening. Simply print the invitation and come in next Thursday 28 June at 19 to 25 M club in Warsaw. You not only see a photograph but get to know the artist personally.
greet and see you (I hope)
Saturday, June 16, 2012
2 by Palatinus
Here are the two latest additions to the traveling Palatinus Exhibit -- Leatherman Brad and bathing beauty Marty....
Hope you're all having fun in Berlin this weekend, boys!!
(Special thanks to Pablo for sending me the raw scan of Brad from the original 4x5 in his collection. I first posted this shot of Brad back in 2007, using a small scan found on eBay. It was that post that led John to first contact me. I'm glad that, with Pablo's help, I was able to restore this photo and add it to the exhibit -- John's always fancied this pose!)
(Special thanks to Pablo for sending me the raw scan of Brad from the original 4x5 in his collection. I first posted this shot of Brad back in 2007, using a small scan found on eBay. It was that post that led John to first contact me. I'm glad that, with Pablo's help, I was able to restore this photo and add it to the exhibit -- John's always fancied this pose!)
Friday, June 15, 2012
John Palatinus -- back in Berlin!
Well, I totally screwed this one up, folks. John is back in Berlin for a brief showing of his work at the Werkstattgalerie during the 20th Annual Gay and Lesbian Street Fair, Motzstrassenfest. Stupid me, I had it in mind that the opening night event with John was Saturday night -- but as I started to pull the links together for this post I discovered it was actually last night on the 14th!
Damn, am I going to catch hell for this one!
Anyway, Berliners (and revelers visiting Berlin) will still have time to visit the exhibit at Eisenacher Str. 6 during the Street Fair proper, June 16 and 17 -- and I bet John will be popping in there during both days from time to time. There are now 49 of his late-50s beefcake photos in the traveling collection, as well as some of his pre-beefcake photos of Paris that inspired his further work in photography. Everyone who visits one of John's shows has a good time, so please, if you're at the fair, duck into the Werkstattgalerie and discover 1950s beefcake in a new and exiting way!
I'm going to give everyone a heads-up now that the exhibit's next stop in Europe is going to be Warsaw, Poland! Opening June 28 and running through July 1 at, if I read this right, Klub M25.
The final stop of the summer will be back in Germany -- in Cologne! From July 5 through the 14, catch the show at Die Kunstagentin, Maastrichter Str. 26 (in the Belgian Quarter).
More news and updates as I get them -- and fingers crossed for a trip across the Channel to England this fall!
Damn, am I going to catch hell for this one!
Anyway, Berliners (and revelers visiting Berlin) will still have time to visit the exhibit at Eisenacher Str. 6 during the Street Fair proper, June 16 and 17 -- and I bet John will be popping in there during both days from time to time. There are now 49 of his late-50s beefcake photos in the traveling collection, as well as some of his pre-beefcake photos of Paris that inspired his further work in photography. Everyone who visits one of John's shows has a good time, so please, if you're at the fair, duck into the Werkstattgalerie and discover 1950s beefcake in a new and exiting way!
I'm going to give everyone a heads-up now that the exhibit's next stop in Europe is going to be Warsaw, Poland! Opening June 28 and running through July 1 at, if I read this right, Klub M25.
Sal Severino by Lon of NY
Ray Routledge
Hunky Ray Routledge in the open air -- with an inked pouch but a very revealing shadow...
This is most likely by Russ Warner, but I can't be 100% positive, as all my other shots of Ray by Russ are studio poses.
Frank Giardina
Bill Bredlau by Quaintance
Peter Gordon by Spartan
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Zaro Rossi - autographed!
Here's that picture I promised back in January -- a photo personally autorgraphed by Zaro Rossi! If only my name happened to be Jack....
When I purchased this sepia beauty, I admit to being a bit skeptical about the signature's authenticity. What led me to bid was the fact that while the seller could read the name with no problem, he (she?) didn't appear to know the model's last name, limiting the search potential (I found this while searching under the very generic "gay vintage 50s" in my endless quest for Palatinus photos). Someone familiar with classic physique models would surely have put "Zaro Rossi" in the item description!
Lo and behold, just a couple of weeks ago, another autographed Zaro came up for auction -- from a different seller. Compare the two -- the autographs are identical.
It's no secret that Zaro sold sets of photos of himself directly to his fans -- here's an advert for the second picture from a March 1958 issue of Adonis that features the second photo.
Sadly, the cost of this second picture exceeded my meager means -- but I'm very happy to have visual proof that I own an actual photograph signed by the incomparable Zaro!
Charles Klejniak and an official admirer...
I recently acquired this fantastic holiday snap of Belgian bodybuilder Charles Klejniak posing with a British bobby outside the Houses of Parliament. I think this is an awesome photo!
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Bee Gees - "You Win Again"
First Donna, and now, tonight, I learn that Robin Gibb has left the world. Only 15 years older than me! Thank you, Robin (and Maurice, and Barry, and Andy) for creating the soundtrack of my youth.
Donna Summer - "State of Independence"
Farewell, Donna -- and thank you for all the wonderful music.
(And thanks to Rick Castro at Antebellum for reminding me of Donna's fantastic version of this song.)
Monday, May 14, 2012
Jimmy Somerville - "The Core"
Nearly 30 years after "Smalltown Boy," the Voice is still transcendent.
Jimmy Somerville - "Heartbeat"
Ah, the wonders of YouTube -- I had never seen this video until tonight. From 1995 - the hit single that never was.
I find Jimmy incredibly sexy -- always have, always will. So there.
Jimmy Somerville - "Coming" (from the film "Orlando")
A forgotten classic, from Sally Potter's amazing film "Orlando" in 1992. A fan-made video by Eretico80, featuring the art of Eadweard James Muybridge, the godfather of physique photography.
Jimmy Somerville and Bronski Beat - "Smalltown Boy" -- Live!
A rare live performance by the original Bronski Beat -- Jimmy Somerville, Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek. This song is as powerful (and relevant) today, nearly 30 years after it was recorded...
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Monday, January 23, 2012
Johnny Sheffield as "Bomba"
I was very young when I became a "Tarzan" fan -- the character from both the films and the books. The Tarzan of the movies had no relation to that of the written word, but I loved them both.
When I first read "The Son of Tarzan" -- the 4th novel -- I immediately wanted to strip my clothes off and run through the vast wooded areas behind my house -- just like Jack Clayton.
In the movies, the (adopted) son of Tarzan and Jane was played by Johnny Sheffield -- a child actor picked personally by Johnny Weismuller. He portrayed "Boy" in the Tarzan series from 1939 through 1947.
When the producers felt that "Boy" was becoming too old to appear alongside Tarzan, he was let go from the series after appearing in "Tarzan and the Huntress." But jungle fever was still running strong in Hollywood -- Johnny was recruited to embody the character of "Bomba" (a child's version of Tarzan that was first published from 1926 - 1938) starting in 1949 and running twelve films through 1955.
While I certainly remember "Boy" from the Tarzan films, I only became aware of "Bomba" in the last dozen years -- those films never appeared on the independent Boston television stations when I was a youngster. Through the miracle of the internet, in the past couple of years I have been able to view these films and totally love their innocent adventurousness.
After the Bomba series ended, Johnny Sheffield gave up his Hollywood career and became a business man, but he never turned his back on his jungle career and happily signed many a picture from his past for his ever-growing circle of fans.
Johnny Sheffield died in 2010, aged 79, from complications after a fall while pruning a tree in his yard. Active to the very end!
I recently purchased some wonderful original 8x10 photos of Johnny as Bomba -- I'll scan the best as soon as they arrive in the post. But I'm wondering -- was "Bomba" a source of fascination for budding gay boys in the 50s? Do any of my readers remember watching Johnny in the cinema, or on syndicated TV of the 60s? I would love to hear from anyone, whether from "back in the day" or who disovered him last week, who loved the films of Mr. Johnny Sheffield.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Dale Gilbert
While Dale was photographed several times by Don Whitman's WPG, this photo doesn't really resemble a WPG shot.
Forrester Millard by AMG
One of the first AMG models (if not THE first), Forrester passed away last year at age 81.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Keith Maynard by Douglas of Detroit
A neat example of double-exposure that Douglas Juleff and Bob Mizer (AMG) liked to work with...
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Zaro Rossi
I bought this one a few months back. It's an oddity, and not just because Zaro is in an honest-to-gosh pouch -- it's dimensions are a bizarre 3 1/2 x 5 1/2, and it's not trimmed in any way. It may have been meant for publication use, as "Tomorrow's Man" is typewritten on the back. Luckily it is printed on such heavy paper that the typing doesn't penetrate.
As for the image -- what a hunky guy! I don't want to guess the photographer yet, but when I get a chance I'll try to find if I have any other bow shots in the files...
Another really cool Zaro to share with you as soon as it arrives in the mail...!!!
