ANTEBELLUM BLOG

6/12/26

RICK CASTRO: BODYART2013

6/12/2026/FRIDAY/3:30AM

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6/11/26

<RICK CASTRO: PETER BERLIN- 1987<

RICK CASTRO: BERLIN WALL 1987
model- Peter Berlin
<11x8”, archival digital print, signed on verso, edition of 6, 1987<

Photo I took of Peter Berlin circa 1987 at Baker Beach, SF. Peter is wearing my second collection for
Michele Lamy- Lamy Men, 1987.

<RICK CASTRO & PETER BERLIN- CIRCA 2019<

<RICK CASTRO & PETER BERLIN- CIRCA 2019<

<RICK CASTRO & PETER BERLIN- CIRCA 2019<

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6/10/26

RICK CASTRO: ESPACIO ARTICULADO

6/10/2026/WEDNESDAY/6:AM

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RICK CASTRO: ESPACIO ARTICULADO 2026

Rick Castro (b. 1958) was born in Los Angeles California. He is an iconic countercultural photographer filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in documenting and dignifying fetishism BDSM and the West Coast leather subculture. Through the founding of the legendary Antebellum Gallery in Hollywood and his ongoing collaborations with independent fashion publications and dissident fanzines Castro has built a vital bridge between the radical underground and international contemporary art circles.

Unlike the purely formal detachment of classic studio photography Castro approaches eroticism and queer identities through lived experience activism and a visceral empathy for his subjects. His camera neither judges nor softens the dynamics of domination submission and pleasure/pain instead it portrays them with an almost religious solemnity and respect. Operating in an intimate controlled environment the act of photography relies on absolute complicity with his models—ranging from fetish legends to contemporary fashion icons—stripping the thrill of the taboo of its ephemeral nature and elevating it to a historical document of bodily resistance.

Castro has expanded the boundaries of homoerotic iconography through striking series of nude and semi-nude images masterfully commanding dense nocturnal and atmospheric color palettes. Employing selective lighting and a bold approach to contemporary color photography his images create a magnetic contrast where exposed skin body hair and musculature interact with the textures of black leather latex and rope bindings. In his work harness-clad torsos masked faces and bodies taut with tension celebrate dissident sexuality as a realm of absolute sovereignty dark mysticism and transgressive beauty.

source©️Antebellum Gallery Archive / Los Angeles Queer Cultural Research

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6/7/26

RICK CASTRO: PRIDE MONTH LOS ANGELES 2026

6/7/2026/SUNDAY/6:AM

RICK CASTRO: LGBTQIA+ HERITAGE MONTH 2026

@culture_la

Pride Month, June 2026 City Of Los Angeles LGBTQIA+ Heritage Calendar and Cultural Guide.
Los Angeles Department of Culture Affairs invites residents and visitors alike to experience a dynamic lineup of events, artists, and cultural programs honoring the many voices, histories, and creative contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community throughout Los Angeles.

Showcasing works by LGBTQIA+ visual artists, poets, and writers who are shaping the culture of Los Angeles.

Download the guide here: culture. https://culture.lacity.gov/programs-and-initiatives/la-hm

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6/4/26

RICK CASTRO: ALL OF US

6/4/2026/THURSDAY/6:AM

ALL OF US OPENS TONIGHT !! Thursday June 4th from 5-8pm

Please JOIN and help celebrate the artists.

Feel free to SHARE this Invite to friends, family and anyone interested in seeing some incredible ART.

Just in time for PRIDE month.

The show will be on view through July 12th.

PHILLIPS in West Hollywood

9041 Nemo Street (on the corner of Santa Monica Blvd.)

213 952-4435
@PHILART1

I’ve been very excited about the concept of curating this show - it coincides with PRIDE month in the PHILLIPS gallery space in West Hollywood.

My goal is for it all to fit together like a puzzle - to create a version of a (gay!) narrative and get all the pieces right.
A celebration.

With this show, I’m interested to explore identity and vitality.
I want the work to feel accessible / relatable .. but personal and vulnerable as well .. a window into a world with an inclusive viewpoint.
The idea being to create a powerful and intriguing show - a larger group of artists .. with the art itself working together to strike a chord, so to speak.

The show is titled ALL OF US. Basically about the power of voices working in unison. Strength in numbers. Coming together despite ‘differences’.

I love putting work together that resonates in such a way as to amplify a message. It is truly a time to stick together and have our voices heard - now more so then ever.

Art has the unique power to unify people, amplify and ignite energy and function well to get certain feelings or messages across.
It is important for so many intrinsic and core reasons, not simply to be viewed as commodity.

My aim is to have the work speak (powerfully) for itself, together- Tony Payne curator- 6/4/2026