PhysiqueVince AlettiLabel: Self Publish Be HappyDescription: Physique showcases over 250 rare physique photography prints from the private collection of renowned critic and curator Vince Aletti. Spanning the 1950s to the early 1980s these photographs chronicle a hidden coded world of homoerotic imagery. Once sold discreetly through mail-order catalogues and underground physique magazines the prints point to an emergent queer sensibility and visibility. Accompanying this visual archive is a personal essay by Aletti which traces the historical and political significance of these images firmly establishing their place in the canon of photography. He celebrates the artistry of the photographers models and studios that brought the photographs to life. Physique reveals a forgotten chapter of American gay culture in which photographic prints served as a lifeline connecting a community of men under threat while also providing solace pleasure and empowerment amid oppression.
