The series produces an eerie prediction for what's to come. "A day in summer 2020. Social isolation has become normal. The new disease is called hypochondria," says Roché.
Check out the rest of the series below.
Everyone knows, or should know, about Walls relationship with famed photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. His lover, friend and somewhat of an artistic mentor, Mapplethorpe meant the world to Walls. Their lives were interwoven. As was he to other artists like Basquiat who painted him. He had seen Basquiat weeks before he died and after that, Mapplethorpe died too. Everyone was dying. Walls is a witness, enough so that a new crop of artists coming up in the 90s, Dash Snow, Dan Colen and Ryan McGinley among them, looked at him as some kind of legend. McGinley stood in the corner recording Walls as he spoke. Walls read from a short story that delved into Mapplethorpe's desire "to be cool," as well as his fascinations with art, sexy and money. “He liked having me as his boyfriend, and I was in love with him,” Walls said to us in the audience, blatantly, as if having recited this short story enough times that it was like saying hello to that person you see on your morning train ride every day.
The drawings worked similarly. On one of the many creations that lined the walls, Walls scribbled mantras how they were interwoven: “Through Mapplethorpe, I learned not only about photography but also about drawing and painting.”
Walls also spoke of AIDS, heroin, the liveliness that defined the era and the people he knew, and the inevitable reality of endings that's kept these death-bound circumstances in the past. Reminiscing on his relationships with Ryan McGinley and his friends, he drew comparisons between Snow and Basquiat, two artists who both seemed to be fighting "the same demons" — and both members of the infamous “27 Club.” Walls carried off on tangents every so often as he remembered specific moments while he read, making it clear that he was a purveyor of the magic — of that time, of those people, of that art — that he so candidly recalled.
Check out photos from the opening below.
During Viveros' middle adolescence, photography presented itself as an accessible medium to connect with the world around him. "My family would buy disposable cameras for the family, and I would take those cameras and take pictures. I would get in trouble for this, but this eventually all grew into a passion for me that I could simply not ignore," Viveros recounts. Building upon years of experimenting with film cameras, the Los Angeles-based artist created a distinct visual language that speaks to his culture, aesthetic values, and strong POV.
Over various coffee meet-ups and long conversations, Viveros pieced together his intentions as an image-maker, ultimately providing the foundation for his most ambitious project to date. 'Masculinidad' synthesizes his artistic ambitions of creating beautiful images with explorations of his identity. This series became actualized through a lifelong confrontation with his masculinity tied with the acceptance of his queer sexuality within a Latine cultural context. Navigating these internal thoughts led the Mexican-American photographer to employ his film camera to provide nuance to a rather binary understanding of expression. "Being a first-generation individual, it was interesting having to independently navigate through different experiences and emotions," Viveros recollects. "I did not have anyone to help me navigate through it, which is why all the information I obtained was through the media and friends. My goal is to authentically depict the essence of men in their everyday lives and private settings in hopes that others can relate and navigate finding their identity."
From nude portraiture, capturing the soft slopes of a back, to gazes outside the frame, each model possesses an intimacy and vulnerability that appears worlds away from traditional masculine qualities like aggression, toughness, and emotional suppression. In one image, a nude tattooed subject is sprawled out across a boulder swathed in a cool tone, offering a glance back at the camera–an act of tenderness. In another, a model bares themself to the camera straight on, where full frontal meets the eye of the viewer–disarmed. The raw approach and minimal production affirm the intentionality behind the series–where real people shed themselves from conventions and social pressure. "I love shooting people who don't really have experience modeling; capturing someone being their true self is the most authentic way I like to capture photos," Viveros notes.
In conversation with not only the observing eye, but the subjects also act as one part of a whole environment, where the setting directly informs their ability to be vulnerable–a silent dialogue contextualizing the entire series. "Some models preferred the outdoors, and others in the comfort of their own homes," the visual artist expresses. "The models that were outdoors trusted my team and me, and for that, I am forever grateful. The models that allowed us in their homes felt most comfortable there, and I was very adamant about the models' comfort." Backdropped by linen curtains, white walls, and nature, 'Masculinidad' directly opposes typical scenes of burly men in workshops, garages, and inside cars. While conversations around masculinity have become more prevalent among younger generations, specifically in a Western context, power dynamics, and gendered expectations still define many cultures, specifically Latin culture, where the needle is moving ever so slightly. Although these cultural norms persist, it's important to envision a world where identity and expression are more fluid– one image and one conversation at a time.
On November 18th in Los Angeles, Viveros presents his complete series 'Masculinidad' in exhibition form, accompanied by an independently created zine.
Check out select images from his photo series below, and catch the complete show on November 18th.
[Originally published in office magazine Issue 20, Fall-Winter 2023. Order your copy here]
What is your ideal office?
Private and soundproof with natural light, away from home.
What was the first song you listened to today?
Partynextdoor - “Break From Toronto”.
If you could collaborate with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?
Rick Rubin.
What is the most inspiring smell? And taste?
The answer to both is coffee with cream and sugar.
What technology excites you most?
I hate technology.
What is your Achilles heel?
Black t-shirts.
What fictional character do you relate to most?
The Count from Sesame Street.
What is the last thing you fell in love with?
My juicer.
When was the last screenshot you took and what was it?
Friday, June 30, 8:38 am of a receipt.
Where is the most sacred place in the city?
Any rooftop you’re not supposed to be on.
