The Color is Black, The Material is Leather

April 05, 2019

"The color is black, the material is leather, the seduction is beauty, the justification is honesty, the aim is ecstasy, the fantasy is death."

I'm obsessed with this quote, which is from Susan Sontag's famous essay on BDSM, one of the first serious literary forays into the underworld of kinky sexual exploration. The Black Party started 30 years ago, around the time that Sontag's essay first appeared, and the tradition continues today. Well, tomorrow, to be precise. The party will be all night Saturday until noon on Sunday: a circuit party for those who can never get enough.

This year, the iconic gay sex/dance/leather blowout will be taking place in the Bronx. I'm personally acquainted with Rify Royalty - we met on the street and I would later perform bearded drag at his genderfuck party known as 'Straight Acting' in Brooklyn - who is the cover boy for this year's iteration of the legendary and historical party. Rify is a rising star in nightlife, a gogo boy with abs of steel who never shies away from combining his male attributes with femme glam: a beguiling choice as the face of The Black Party.

Text by John Martin Tilley
Photos by BunnyZ

I spoke with Rify about party, which he's been attending for six years, which is, in fact, as long as he's been working nightlife. "People make an entire weekend of it," he said, "They come from all over the world. There's dancing, sex, performances involving sex. It's a blast." There was a hint of regret in Rify's voice as we talked about the party: while he is the cover boy for the event, he ironically will be unable to attend, a victim of his own success - he had already arranged to produce his own party in Miami for Miami Pride this weekend before The Black Party had announced its dates. Still, it's hard to regret a trip to Miami. "They have their pride pretty early," Rify said, "Most prides happen in the summer, but in Miami it's just too hot. It's 80 degrees there right now."

While Rify will be enjoying the Miami heat, those who flock to New York once a year for The Black Party will be bumping the night away. "There's a very strict dress code," Rify added, "harnesses, leather, jockstraps, the works." Lots of skin, in other words, and plenty of leather. It's a veritable Garden of Earthly Delights, where pleasure and pain coalesce on the dance floor for an eye-popping spectacle that could only exist in the realms of the night.

When I asked Rify for any last words on The Black Party, he quipped: "Get tested afterward." I laughed, the advice was more than apt. "But make good choices, and be safe," he added for good measure. Sage words.

Below are selects from last year's party. Hope you're ready to gag.

The Black Party begins Saturday, April 6th. Be safe, make good choices, see you there.

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Spring Pleasure with Obii

Covered in super soft and squishy silicone, Obii sucks, pulses, and vibrates on you, and will give you an entirely new and improved orgasm.

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30 Weeks Pregnant

Merging her young self as an Iowa native and her current self as a pregnant New York mama, Redman portrays herself among horses and animals she grew up around and feels extremely close to. However, to maintain her city-ness, she rocks big earrings, a slip dress, and a cool, confident demeanor.

Danielle embodies sensuality, womanhood, and motherhood all at once. As a model, her artistic vision is very much so informed by that experience, while her photographic eye is influenced by her years modeling.

Check out our conversation below.

What inspired you to create this series?

I mean, I grew up with horses, and I’ve been riding since I was 5. I always connect really well with horses, I love horses. One day, I just had this visualization of, like, you know, I’m really pregnant… and me, on a horse, in the water, like I don’t know why, in a pink dress. It all just like… there it was. I had to get it out of my head, so I had to shoot it until it… you know what I’m saying? And I’m a farm girl, country, but also very New York, ‘cause I’ve been here for, like, 18 years. So kind of the meshing of the two—the merge. Who I am now to who I was as a little girl.

How did you mesh those two sides of you in these images?

With the nails, with the big hat… I’m from Iowa, and, you know, you don’t do anything too crazy. So like, just kinda keeping to my true self, so like, a crop top—people don’t really wear it, it’s more conservative, so I was a little bit more edgy in that sense.

What feeling does it evoke to you as the creator, and what feeling do you think they might evoke in the viewer?

I’m really critical of myself in every way possible. I see a photo I’ve taken, or that I’m in, or a photo that I’ve created, and in every aspect I always look deeper and reevaluate everything. So it took me a while to digest everything. But they are, I think, really beautiful. Super serene, peaceful, majestic… you know? Also I think it really shows a woman and womanhood. The transformation; this is my first time being a mother, so I’m going through this whole transformation, and I think it really shows that.

That’s beautiful.

And then, I guess it’s up to the viewer how they see it. Everyone has their own input, point of view, how they read it. I think that’s the beautiful thing about art and everything. You put something out there, and however someone sees it, it’s like, Oh wow, I didn’t see it that way, but that’s really cool!

How were you trying to present yourself as the model, and as a photographer, did that affect how it turned out?

Yeah, I guess I’m always, like, critiquing. You know? But I think I’ve been doing both for so long, that I’m used to playing both roles. And I think both roles help me in both positions.

Do you think one informs the other more? Does being a photographer inform your modeling more or vice versa? Or is it equal?

I haven’t really thought about it, but being a model-turned-photographer, you definitely have more of an insight on how you wanna be looked at, spoken to, treated like a human rather than just an object, so I definitely have that point of view. But I think… hmm… that’s a really good question. I think it’s pretty equal. So far, anyways, it definitely feels equal because they definitely both help each other.

They kind of flow into one another?

Yeah, and I’ve learned a lot from being both—from the angles, to the poses...

Yeah, I could see that. How long have you been modeling?

I’ve always loved images, I always thought it was really powerful. Since I was little, I had a matching dress with my doll, and I was like, Mom, take my photo! I always had her taking my photo, like with my dog, or with whatever. I think kids, I don’t know why we love that. How you take it from there is how you take it from there. I’ve gone all over the world, and kids are always intrigued, like, Take my photo! Now let me see it! I think it’s a natural thing. But I’ve been officially modeling since I was 14… A really long time.

That’s young! So when did you move into photography?

I mean, same thing, I’ve always played with it. I’ve always been taking photos, I love imagery, I’m always taking photos of stuff. But it’s evolved a lot. Like, I was looking back at photos from ten years ago and I was like, What was I taking a photo of? That’s horrible! You know? But I think once you start looking at your work and critiquing it, you can really learn and grow faster. And that’s a really important role that I never was doing in the work.

What has pregnancy been like during the pandemic?

Wild. Super wild. I’m having a homebirth, so my midwives are really into keeping your distance, and I’m also really into keeping my distance. It might just be a fluke thing, it might be super serious; we really don’t know what this whole thing is, and, like, Mama Bear definitely came out, like Grrr, I’m super protective of this little child inside me. So, it’s been really lonely. There’s definitely been lonely moments, you know, my family’s back in Iowa, so I don’t get to share that with them at all. Even friends, they don’t get to touch the belly or see the growth, so it gets kinda sad. My body hurts so I was like, you know, I really want a massage, but you can’t do basic things like that. You know, now you can, but you couldn’t do basic things like that for the longest time. Luckily, I can get pedicures now, and it’s nice ‘cause I can’t really touch my toes!

Perfect!

It’s so wild! It’s such a funny thing! But it’s also been a really big blessing, ‘cause I get to just focus on this baby, and it brings me a lot of joy. So every time there are hardships happening in the world or in my life, I can always focus on this little happy… Like, the baby will move, and I’m like, oh yeah, that’s my happiness.

That’s so sweet! Is there anything else you wanna say about "30 Weeks Pregnant"?

I always think it’s really fun to have an idea, create it, dream up something, and then bring it to life. Making it come to life is really satisfying.

Did it come out just how you hoped, or did your vision change along the way?

I really love the team that I chose. The photographer, she’s super creative, and I love her vision. So I really put it in her hands. We kinda came together, like, I had this idea, and then she came forward with a bunch of ideas as well, so it was really nice collaborating. The nail girl, she was really great as well to bring in a different type of art. It was slightly different than what I thought, but not really. It was just more majestic, kind of, serene, movie style. It looks more like a movie.

How did the collaboration go? Why did you bring this specific photographer on and how did she take your vision and execute it?

Well the photographer, I’ve known her for a while, and I’ve loved her work; she does video as well, and it’s really beautiful. Super feminine and soft and deep. There’s a lot more depth to it rather than just a beautiful image, so I knew it was gonna be more powerful than just that. She’s super talented and comes with a lot of experience. So bringing her on was easy, and when I told her about it, she was like, Oh my God, I’d be so honored, please, yes! She was super excited to be part of this moment and share this moment. She definitely brought a lot to the table.

Where were the photos taken?

It’s, like, two hours upstate, it’s called Amenia, New York. I went up there before and I’d been talking to the lady for a while, and I rode there once. Then, literally, like, I had the idea, and right after she posted a photo, like, that’s where Beyonce used to ride horses! I was like, I thought it was my secret! She stole my secret!

Are you excited to one day show your baby these photos?

Definitely! ‘Cause that was the first horse ride my baby had! You know? It was kinda beautiful, ‘cause, have you rode before?

Yeah, I have.

So, you know how… it’s meditative. It’s really peaceful. You kinda just go on this little journey. Also, it was stormy that day, like really stormy, and there was this energy in the air, and the horses really feel that. So there was excitement but also calmness. I’m also really calm on horses, so it was really cool to let the baby feel the energy through me. The baby didn’t move at all! I was like, You’re so enjoying this! I love it.

I love that, that’s so cute. I’m excited for you. Thank you so much!

Thank you!!

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POV: Mike Krim's Uncomfortable Lens

Krim is a prolific man of his craft who is multitasking on a daily basis. He curates shows across the world and designs books, magazines, and clothing while simultaneously utilizing his cameras like an extension of his body as he photographs the world that creates the language of his captured images. He is a man with no boundaries and no fear when it comes to subject matter. There’s no discrimination between a heroin addict with a needle in his neck in LA’s Skid Row to the women and men across the board who trust his artistic style and vision, as it is a blessing at this point to show up in one of Krim’s photographs.

There is a performance taking place when Krim is present. He captures the absurd truths of life as the images possess a beautiful chaos that is being simplified and stripped down to produce a truth that is unseen.

What has Mike Krim been up to so far in 2020, and how is the quarantine going in LA?

I was on a roll. I did a show in Tokyo with Agnès B, then another in Mexico City and released a satin varsity jacket with Majestic Japan. Then a month later, we’re on lockdown. Quarantine has been interesting to say the least… all the down time has led to a lot of self-reflection, allowing me to reprioritize shit. I’ve been really productive. I released two new zines and a shirt this month, and projects that have been on hold are now ready to go when this is all over with. My girl is stuck in Canada. I’ve had to get creative with that… doing little video dates and all that cute stuff.

As a photographer and curator, how important do you feel it is to separate yourself from your subjects?

As a photographer, shooting in the street, I try to have zero connection to the subject other than being fully present in that moment with them. It’s mildly psychopathic but I have to compartmentalize as much as possible. I see a lot of wild shit and I can’t let the emotionality overflow into my personal life. I’ll leave the feelings for the viewers looking at the photos. Curating shows and projects is 100% the opposite. I’m hands-on and ears open from the start. It’s my job to listen to everyone’s wants and needs. The artists, models, and the rest of these characters I collaborate with can get really emotional when it comes down to their work. I have to put my foot down and take the reins and make sure everything is pulled together when it comes time to hang the show and open it up for the public. Otherwise, people run a-muck and make it look like some raggedy freshman art school show. Although, that has kind of been on trend, so maybe I have to rethink my approach, haha.

Can you give me a list of subject matter that you’ve captured images of?

Street, sex workers, artists, actors, graffiti kids, nature, parties, anyone and anything controversial that grabs my attention, but since the ‘Rona hit I have been playing with nature and trying to turn all the cacti on my roof into these wild sexual jump offs. I was joking a few years back that I noticed a lot of controversial photographers started shooting cactus as like “the end of the road” kinda shit like when a New York downtown artist starts to DJ… now I’m thinking about it and I really appreciate the cactus and the DJ.

Can you explain what drives you or places you in these settings and in the presence of these individuals?

Since I was young, I never wanted to be at my house. I always wanted to explore and interact with people from different walks of life. I guess it’s the curious, wide-eyed kid in me that’s always searching for something new. I relate and feel comfortable in fucked up scenarios. I’m attracted to controversy; it has a strong pull for me. I have no problem interacting with someone who is severely mentally ill or walking up to someone that most would find intimidating. I know the slang to use to break the ice and shoot the shit with them. I’m really good at reading people and situations. With the women I shoot, most of my girlfriends and female friends are sex workers of some sort. I have a huge respect for them and all women and all the insanity that comes with it. It’s a full-time spicy sitcom around here. I will only work with real ones though. None of that pretend “let’s play dress up” gimmick for Instagram. Being out late in the city, the only girls out are the naughty ones and we all have a mutual understanding of what time it is when its go time. So, if it’s hitting the club, track or TJ Mexico for the night or any city I land in, the first thing I do is start plotting content. Shit can get complicated though… in Tokyo my boy matched with a fly lady boy on Tinder and passed her off to me. The whole time I’m trying to set up the shoot and she is trying to smash. I’m sitting there like damn baby girl, why it got to be like this? It’s 2020.

I have no problem interacting with someone who is severely mentally ill or walking up to someone that most would find intimidating.

Do you possess a sense of responsibility and respect for your subject?

I absolutely do. I make sure the environment is professional, that the subject is comfortable and treated with the upmost respect. The climate these days can have you canceled mad quick so it’s important that there’s a lot of communication and clear boundaries. I have a little sister and a whole squad of females and it’s unfortunate when you hear shit going down with certain people, brands, etc. I’m not sure why they don’t think harder about how they set shit up. Hiring their favorite IG girl and then inviting 20 homies to stare at her… why would that be comfortable for her? The street stuff is more complicated because its always about respect but it’s also not my responsibility to care… I’m a fly on the wall in those settings.

To my understanding all humans deserve to feel like they’re indispensable. Are there times when you feel this task has been accomplished with your subject?

Yeah, facts. Without the subjects, there’s no me and we would not be having this conversation. Many of the people I shoot I’m able to contact and send them a print or get them a zine. It’s all love. They are forever immortalized in my little world… it goes a long way to do stuff like that especially when you are profiting off of it.

I respect you and think you have many disciplined gifts as an artist. Are you cool with admitting you want to be a GREAT artist and someone who contributes on a much bigger scale in addition to what has already been accomplished?

Look, I’m not even sure I’m even that good. Many people I admire from the past and present that are technically “better” make work that motivates me to be better. I don’t think you need to be the best to be considered great. You need to have the drive and discipline and not wait around thinking people owe you anything. I make my own books, my own shows, and I’m not scared to put myself on a pedestal to be judged. That’s a huge advantage over others because people spend more time worrying what others think and who’s ass they have to kiss.

What are your thoughts on the abundance of filters and body altering on social media?

I’m not into it all… Sure everyone edits their pics on photoshop, but you shouldn’t be like remodeling your whole body and face for validation. Everyone looks exactly the same now and it’s just sad… Team Flaw all the way.

Your work is very lifestyle oriented, are you prepared to take your craft to the next level and photograph for major brands?

If the opportunity presents itself, I would love to bring my aesthetic to the fashion game... I always look at old fashion photos and try and bring that element into the nitty-gritty. It would be a privilege.

Are you interested in video and film as a tool for your practice?

I have been stacking footage for a minute and would love to chop it up with an editor… I made one short already and it made Russian news. If that’s a sign of things to come, I’m ready to get busy with the right team…

I see a lot of wild shit, and I can’t let the emotionality overflow into my personal life.

What is your vision for Paperworks in the future?

Well prior to the world meltdown, we were set up to do a series of global art shows throughout 2020 with various artists in some really obscure places. The idea was to remove and change the narrative of what’s typically being done in the art world. Kinda like a big gypsy caravan that doesn’t give a fuck. I would like to pick up where we left off as soon as the world opens back up. I think the brand’s strongest points are the activations and shows we put on. The clothing is also a whole new extension of the brand. We will be doing seasonal drops and you can find us in some of the world’s most desirable stores. Also, I can’t forget about expanding with more artist’s zines and printed matter.

What does the future hold for Mike Krim?

More shows, more content, more printed projects, a white picket fence, a tangerine tree in the yard.