{"id":2814,"date":"2026-08-03T22:45:42","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T22:45:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/garcialemos.me\/?page_id=2814"},"modified":"2026-09-14T17:56:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T17:56:18","slug":"postcards-from-the-phoenix","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/garcialemos.me\/?page_id=2814","title":{"rendered":"Postcards from the Phoenix"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The idea of going out at night to a gay bar where we will probably find a man -or more- that is attracted to us and attracts us, someone with whom unexpectedly, and in an almost animalistic and totally analogous way, we manage to contact, connect, sexualize and effectively pick-up is something that sadly is disappearing from the gay men\u2019s world. Today, people connect almost exclusively by alternative channels and especially through apps that are directly related to the Internet and the digital world. There was a time when we smelled our armpits, we noticed the sweat of each other, we connected quickly with just one glance, and we looked at our asses and our packages and our hands and eyes.  That time, and that way of cruising seems to be almost forgotten. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, most of the cruising bars have been lost or are slowly closing, and focusing on that is how this collection of images was conceived, and it is essentially about the Phoenix Bar <\/strong>in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana<\/strong>. It is one of the few bars that remain of that fantastic time where cruising, sex, flirting, picking-up and nightlife all went hand in hand, (as well as other body parts)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This show is based on my impression as a long-time-regular client at the Phoenix Bar, in the Faubourg Marigny<\/strong> in New Orleans. The Phoenix is the best gay\/cruising bar (in my opinion) in the city as well as home-bar of The Mystic Krewe of the Lords of Leather<\/strong> and several other leather and fetish groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The show has two types of works: first, a group of small paintings which are 16 by 20 inches  (acrylic on canvas, painted mostly with spatula.)  They are signed with my street name: gam\u00edn\u00ae. And second, a group of collages which are all 11 by 17 inches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PAINTINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cHorny Clowns\u201d
New Orleans by gam\u00edn 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\u201dThe Crack whore Ball\u201d
New Orleans by gam\u00edn 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
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\u201dEight Ball in the Crack\u201d
New Orleans, by gam\u00edn 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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\u201cThe Go-Go Boy and the Leather Men\u201d
New Orleans, LA 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cIn the darkroom\u201d
New Orleans by gam\u00edn 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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#Self-Portrait with Spatula\u201d
New Orleans by gam\u00edn 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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In addition to the paintings I made some collages, based on the work of AMG\u2019s Bob Mizer, Bob\u2019s World by Dian Hanson and published by TASCHEN, as well as catalogues from MS Rau in New Orleans and the images of Raf Simons published as Isolated Heroes. I also used some recycled magazines and other materials. These firsts batch are all 11 by 17 inches and are part of the collection Postcards from the Phoenix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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COLLAGES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The THREE Mosqueteros and the torturer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The visions of CLUBMAN<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Creating collage with images of over-sexualized males is an experience similar to old-time cruising: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

one never knows what you will find, you just have to pick and select based on what\u2019s available,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

and hope for the best!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Your Excellency<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Cherubs and Player<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Hanging at the Library<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fighting the Saint Andrews Cross<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Frans Hals and the Hanging Boy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"Blue<\/a>
Blue Balls Balancing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Picnic in the Marigny<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bird Conservation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Temptation of Christ<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Meuble Soleil Commode by Fran\u00e7ois<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Collage on wood and fabric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(24 x 18 inches) New Orleans, LA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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