ARTIST: RICK CASTRO

***DISCLAIMER: THESE WORKS CONTAIN MALE NUDITY***

ARTIST STATEMENT

RICK CASTRO

American Photographer known for his work focusing on fetish and desire.
He was born in Los Angeles in 1958. This is a selection of  work from 1992 – 2016.
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Rick Castro’s films are archived by UCLA Legacy Projects. His books and photographs are archived by the Alfred Kinsey Institute IND,  UCLA library,
Chicago Leather Museum,  Leslie Lohman Foundation NYC, One Institute, and the Tom Of Finland Foundation in Los Angeles.
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Two books have been published of Rick’s photography, Castro, (1990) published by the Tom of Finland Foundation, and 13 Years of Bondage, (2004) Fluixon publications.
 Rick Castro lives and works in Hollywood, where he daily blogs- antebellumgallery.blogspot.com.
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In 2005 Rick founded the groundbreaking Antebellum Gallery Hollywood, which is dedicated to fetish as art.  Antebellum Hollywood is the only fetish art gallery in America, perhaps the world.  Antebellum presents fetish, homoeorotic , queer culture, transgressive views, vintage erotic & esoteric salons on a regular basis. Antebellum is fiercely independent. The term antebellum is Latin- before, (ante) war, (bellum), not to be used solely describing the antebellum south.  The term is  a general depiction anytime there is a false sense of serenity before conflict. “the calm before the storm.”
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The Hollywood sign | A Los Angeles icon
A brush fire burns near the Hollywood sign in March, 2007. About 200 firefighters were on the scene and at least five helicopters dropped chemicals on the blaze.
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ANTEBELLUM HOLLYWOOD
1643 N LAS PALMAS AV
HOLLYWOOD CA 90028
Email ANTEBELLUM HOLLYWOOD direct: antebellum@earthlink.net
Castro has also submitted a video piece: Antebellum 2016  (Duration : 8 minutes)
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Rick Castro on Balaclava.Q & obscuring the face:

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“As a longtime photographer observing the changes in the industry, formats, negative film to digital, print to online, agent to DIY etc, I embrace what Balaclava.Q is doing for the community.  Viewing art should be as easy as viewing porn, politics or news of the day.
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Many times the eyes, face, mouth & head are covered in my images.  From a fetish perspective this is alluring, enhancing the objectification of the subject. From an artist perspective-  by presenting the subject in a sculptural form. The model becomes timeless, less about the person, more about the shapes.
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I approach portraits a couple ways- the subject looks directly into the camera. Perhaps staring down the viewer.  Or the eyes are covered; the windows to the soul. 
The face is covered- rendered  obscurity.
The mouth is covered- stifling opinion. 
The person is bound- immobility created by outer or inner source.
Desired vs undesired S&M is a lifelong battle.“
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STOVE PIPE LEATHER GLOVES / 2014 (pictured below)
dscn0720-version-2
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GLOBAL WARMING / 2007 (pictured below)
globalwarming
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THE WISE MEN / 2014 (pictured below)
2016-09-17_edited
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MY DUNGEON– 2015 (pictured below)
castro_festival-1
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You can find out more information about ANTEBELLUM HOLLYWOOD and explore more of this artists works by visiting Instagram and Twitter.
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This work is shown here by kind permission from the artist.
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Please ask the artist before using them elsewhere.
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Thanks.

Published by Stiofan O'Ceallaigh

Stiofan O'Ceallaigh is a multi-media artist and curator born in Ireland, currently working between the USA and Europe. O'Ceallaigh is also founder of Balaclava.Q - An international Queer Arts Project & Collective (Established 2016) . Working internationally, exhibiting mainly across Europe and N/S. America O'Ceallaigh's focus is an exploration of the understanding of a queer aesthetic, if indeed, there is one. A personal journey, and an acknowledgement to the status flux, O'Ceallaighs work seeks to emancipate those who know it, simply by promoting discourse around areas such as HIV, queer art censorship, body politic and internalised shame/stigma>pride, and fundamentally an effort to reduce hate... in all its forms.

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