Declarations #2

Inspired by a comprehensive study of the 1970s and 1980s gay club culture, nightlife, and related stigmas in New York City, Elijah McKenzie-Jackson sought out vintage gay magazines portraying men in moments of passion, desire, and unabashed intimacy. Elijah's method, adapting techniques favored in the 70s, transformed secondary sources either through a digital process—starting with extraction, then retexturing and re-pixelation—or by creatively repurposing inkjetting onto painted acrylic bases and compositing multimedia to offer a unique ideological lens on the subject matter, its presentation, and appeal to the distinct preferences for viewers. Due to the nature of these techniques, unfortunately not all the textures can be seen to their fullest through digital scan-ins. Ultimately, this collection explores the tension between societal norms and primal desires through an exhilarating lens.