Richard Haines's Erotic "Boys of Bushwick"
BY PETER DAVIS
Artist Richard Haines (who we previously wrote about here) is known for his illustrations of stylish guys. But a sexier side of Haines's work will be revealed at the show The Line Exposed, a series of erotic drawings that will be on display starting June 17th at the John Bartlett store. I asked the always stylish Haines where these more revealing pictures came from.
What are these erotic drawings? Are they from a hidden vault?
I was talking to John [Bartlett] about ways to make this show different, and he suggested erotic drawings. I've been doing them for a while. They really are an extension of the fashion stuff I do. I like to capture the guys I sketch in more intimate surroundings, to kind of "flesh out" (pun intended) the guys who inspire me. What struck me is that these guys are as comfortable out of clothes as when they are dressed. I loved that. The only real challenge was sketching all the intricate tattoos!
Who are the models/inspiration for the drawings?
I realized about half way into it that almost all of the guys live in Bushwick. The subtitle of the show is "The Boys of Bushwick." There's a whole scene out here of very creative guys, performance artists, writers, and all around scene makers. I really wanted to capture that moment. The scene here reminds me of what it must have been like to hang with the Cockettes in the '70s. I also wanted to record different moments in the lives of these guys -- tender, passionate, erotic...
What are these erotic drawings? Are they from a hidden vault?
I was talking to John [Bartlett] about ways to make this show different, and he suggested erotic drawings. I've been doing them for a while. They really are an extension of the fashion stuff I do. I like to capture the guys I sketch in more intimate surroundings, to kind of "flesh out" (pun intended) the guys who inspire me. What struck me is that these guys are as comfortable out of clothes as when they are dressed. I loved that. The only real challenge was sketching all the intricate tattoos!
Who are the models/inspiration for the drawings?
I realized about half way into it that almost all of the guys live in Bushwick. The subtitle of the show is "The Boys of Bushwick." There's a whole scene out here of very creative guys, performance artists, writers, and all around scene makers. I really wanted to capture that moment. The scene here reminds me of what it must have been like to hang with the Cockettes in the '70s. I also wanted to record different moments in the lives of these guys -- tender, passionate, erotic...
