Artist Spotlight: Best of Art, 2013

Above: After the Battle, 1914Artist Spotlight: Alexander DeinekaThese strapping lads were the Russian physical ideal. Deineka's provocative male nudes conflict with Russia's contemporary antigay views. The Sculptor, 1964. Perhaps the most revelatory of Koch's self-portraits. It almost dares you to make a conclusion. From the stance of the model, to the gesture of the cigarette, intimacy steams from the canvas. Then there is the detail (see below) of the posing strap string, delicately resting on the upper curve of the model's buttocks. And what about the calipers?For more: John KochKoch's society paintings grow more charming as time passes, but his paintings of handsome nudes reveal a more intriguing point of view. Above: Tom of Finland, Untitled (From Beach Boy 1 story), 1971 Pen & ink, gouache on paper 8.25” x 5.75”COQ International Collection, Tom of Finland Foundation Permanent Collection © 1971 Tom of Finland FoundationFor more: Tom of FinlandThe work of Tom of Finland and Bob Mizer set the dials of fantasy for multiple generations of gay men (and some women) since the middle of the last century. Walter BaumhoferCowboys, pirates, ripped shirts, and bondage. It's a small wonder that Baumhofer's illustrations for pulp magazines ignited the fantasies of a generation of gay men. Above: Avalanche Lake, 2012For more: Cobi MoulesMoules's exhibit "Bois Just Wanna Have Fun" combines epic scenery and young male rambunctiousness in self-portrait multiples. Above: John Gutoskey, Queer Pop, 2012For more: 'Round Hole, Square Peg'A diverse selection of artists redefine a queer aesthetic for the 21st century. Above: The open-air bath houseFor more: Eugene JanssonThe sense of freedom Swedish artist Eugene Jansson must have felt when he turned from blue landscapes to nude male gymnasts and sailors pulsates in his artwork. Above: Harry Bush's hitchhikersFor more: Inventing the California BoyThese mid-20th-century photographers and artists created utopian images of young California men that formed an ideal. Above: Proud Mary, 2007, oil on canvas, 24 x 20 inchesFor more: Ryan MartinAfter recovering from the hallucinatory explosion of color, the complex narrative of Martin's images keeps us engaged. Above: The Enchanted Valley, 1925For more: Ralph ChubbChubb's Uranian poetry and art led him to establish his own press to avoid censorship. For more: Paul JacouletJacoulet was a rare Western artist mastering the art of woodblock printing sufficiently to be recognized in Japan. He was also barred from entering the U.S. due to his “undesirability” as a gay man. Above: Physique Pictorial, Vol. 1, No. 2. with a cover illustration by George Quaintance. ONE Archives at the USC LibrariesFor more: Art & Physique Circa Bob & TomExploring the social and historical context surrounding erotic art and physique photography during the 1940s, '50s, and '60s. Above: Paradise, Butch McLogicFor more: Capolavoro di Uomo: Masterpiece of ManIn a new lavish book, Capolavoro di Uomo: Masterpiece of Man, we see undeniable gay visibility — and eros. Above: Parvenu (The Historical Rise of the Art Jock), 2011, oil on canvas, 36x48"For more: Kris KnightKnight's fantasy portraits of androgynous youth are haunted and sensuous. Above: Michael Kirwan, Making Things Uncomfortable, watercolor, markers, pen on paperFor more: Bent-Con's Geekiest Gay ArtBent-Con's exhibition of work celebrates LGBT contributions in pop culture, sci-fi, horror, comics, fantasy, gaming, and geekdom. Above: Untitled (Garet), 2012, oil on canvas, 14" x 11"For more: Christopher SousaMore like still lifes than figure studies, Sousa's lads have an Edwardian tilt to their top hats. Above: Twilight (Sailors hitchhiking)For more: Emlen EttingPhiladelphia Main Line society artist Emlen Etting was happily married, but he sure painted a lot of sailors. Above: Two Boys, 1915For more: Hans ThomaWas Thoma gay? How many fauns, satyrs, and lonely naked guys on the beach can you depict before your own art outs you? Above: Duncan Grant mural, West Wall (detail), St Blaise Chapel, Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, EnglandFor more: Public Art, Private ExpressionWhy do so many public murals seem to have a homoerotic tone? Above: Alex, BackFor more: José Manuel Hortelano-PiHortelano-Pi brings his earthy, human touch to ceramics, video, and social media. Above: Hypnose, 1904For more: Sascha SchneiderSchneider's risky homoerotic artwork enjoyed great popularity in Germany. Then the political climate changed. Above: The Faun, 1914For more: Magnus EnckellThis Finnish artist's work leaned to the symbolic and the spiritual, and was surprisingly erotic for the time. For more: Ephraim Moses LilienPerhaps only accidentally homoerotic, Lilien's pursuit of a handsome Jewish ideal manifested in beautiful art nouveau drawings of men.

Artist Spotlight: Best of Art, 2013

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Artist Spotlight: Best of Art, 2013

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