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.
