Trick or Treat,  It's Hot Boy Halloween
'Kit et Paris' © by Michael Epps Courtesy of BOYS! BOYS! BOYS!

Trick or Treat, It's Hot Boy Halloween

BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! is neither a pep rally cry nor the cheers of teenage pop band's fans but a fine art photography program launched in 2018 by editor Ghislain Pascal, a former celebrity publicist, and curator of The Little Black Gallery in London, England. In celebration of the third printing of the "BOYS! BOYS! BOYS!" hardcover anthology as well as the sixth volume of the magazine of the same name, Pascal is bringing a collection of daring, flesh-revealing, and provocative show of photography celebrating the masculine form to Craven Contemporary in Kent, Conn., for a pop-up exhibition opening with a reception on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. 

With a global range of talent, including Alexander Courtman from Germany, Sean Patrick Waters from America, and Mauricio A. Rodriguez from Venezuela, BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! is a unique collective acquiring images of men exclusively from the portfolios of gay and queer-identifying male photographers.

"Many magazines and online platforms have pictures of beautiful men, but I wouldn't necessarily decide they fit my criteria," Pascal said over a Zoom interview from his home in France. "They're just photographs, not fine art. It's a very difficult line that I tread in making my selection. You can also go all the way to the other side of the spectrum where it can go too far. Is it fine art… or is it now pornography? It is hard. It's not an easy decision to make."

Expect leather, glitter, nature, and plenty of skin; Pascal's selections for the show are equally confident and erotic, but how to define the artistic lens of "gay photography" is a murkier question. Is it about desire, intimacy, an understanding of masculinity and the male form that connects both artist and the subject? "For me," Pascal said, "there's one photographer that I think will always be defined as groundbreaking and setting the mold for what photography for queer and gay men means, and that's, say it with me, Robert Mapplethorpe. His work is still breaking barriers today."

On view through Nov. 5.

Latest News

Swinging into spring sports at HVRHS

HVRHS sophomore Wyatt Bayer will suit up for the Mountaineers' varsity baseball team.

Photo by Riley Klein

FALLS VILLAGE — With the arrival of warm weather, so too comes a new season of athletics at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.

The Mountaineers will field teams in five different sports for the spring season: baseball, softball, lacrosse, tennis and track and field.

Keep ReadingShow less
Northlight art show opens at Historical Society Gallery
One of a dozen artists participating in the Northlight Art Center’s 14th annual student exhibit is Cathleen Halloran, above, who paused for a photo by one of her several works on display. The opening reception at the Sharon Historical Society’s Gallery on Saturday, March 15, brought out a robust group of local art fans.
Leila Hawken

Fans of fine art filed into the Sharon Historical Society’s gallery on Saturday, March 15, for the opening reception of student works from the Northlight Art Center in Amenia, New York.

Northlight was founded in Sharon by Pieter Lefferts in 2010 and later moved to Amenia. This is the 14th year of the annual student exhibit.

Keep ReadingShow less
‘Urinetown’ makes use of brand new HVRHS auditorium

Tess Marks as Little Sally and Jackson Olson as Officer Lockstock in the Housatonic Musical Theatre Society production of "Urinetown."

Tom Brown

Last week’s Housatonic Musical Theatre Society production of “Urinetown” featured strong performances and superb choreography.

The remodeled auditorium at Housatonic Valley Regional High School made a big difference as well. New seats were a welcome addition, and the increased technical capability meant that the show was flawless from a production point of view.

Keep ReadingShow less
Race Brook Lodge: A timeless haven for music, art, and community

Race Brook Lodge

Lety Marcos

Tucked away on Under Mountain Road in Sheffield, Massachusetts, The Stagecoach Tavern dates back to the mid-18th century and offers fine dining in an enchanted setting. It also serves as the portal into the Race Brook Lodge, which harbors unique spaces for entertainment, lodging and wellness.

Intimate outdoor gathering areas are illuminated by strings of lights. A cluster of mid-century bungalows can be rented by guests who come to spend the weekend and attend concerts and retreats, which typically take place in the barns farther back in the woods.

Keep ReadingShow less