RICK CASTRO - 2024
American photographer, filmmaker and writer known for his work focusing on fetish and desire.
A third generation Los Angeleno, he was born in 1958 and began his career as a wardrobe stylist and clothing designer.
His clients over the years included Bette Midler, Tina Turner, Karen Black, David Bowie, Herb Ritts, Joel-Peter Witkin, George Hurrell, and Michele Lamy. He styled editorials for magazines like Interview, GQ, Rolling Stone, and Vanity Fair.
During 1986, Castro became a freelance photographer at age 28, working for Frontiers, Advocate and Drummer magazines.
His first solo exhibition, Mass Murder and a Cute Boy, (1987) was at the original, Different Light Bookstore in Silverlake, CA.
Over the years Rick had numerous national and international exhibitions including- NYC, Brooklyn, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego, Detroit, Phoenix, Paris, Lille, Tokyo, London, Berlin, Frankfurt, Freiburg, Melbourne, Amsterdam, Milano and Venice.
Rick Castro has created photographic portraits for~
Producer Alan Poul, actor Guillermo Diaz, pornstar Peter Berlin, writer Gore Vidal, director Kenneth Anger, musician Alice Bag, performance artist, Ron Athey, model Tony Ward, fashion diva Michele Lamy, drag terrorist Christeene, and the 14th Dalai Lama. Rick has created editorial photos for Christian Dior Homme, Cartier jewelry, and Rick Owens.
In 1994 his VHS interviews of male street hustlers on Santa Monica Blvd in Hollywood inspired Bruce LaBruce to produce the film Hustler White, (1996). The two then collaborated on this project as co-directors/writers. Hustler White was a great success internationally and is listed by the Los Angeles Times top 100 underground films of the 20th century.
Rick also directed a documentary about the furry culture organized online and now somewhat mainstream for MTV called, Plushies & Furries, (2001) scoring #2 in the ratings.
Other films include- Automolove, (1991), Fertile LaToyah Jackson video Magazine #1 & 2, (1993,1994) 45 Minutes of Bondage, (1993), Three Faces of Women, (1994), Another 45 Minutes of Bondage,(1996), ANTEBELLUM2013, ANTEBELLUM2014, ANTEBELLUM2015
and ANTEBELLUM2016. Rick also created a short doco/drama-The Dark Waters of Hotel Cecil, (2017).
Rick was the west coast editor/photographer for Studio Publications- Blue, Black & White,
The Masters based in Sydney,Australia from 2000 to 2007. He is currently a contributing photographer & writer for AnOther Magazine UK, and Document Journal, NYC.
Rick Castro’s film Hustler White is archived at UCLA Legacy Projects. Castro's books are archived at Liberia Elinsulto, Mexico City. His books and photographs are archived by the Alfred Kinsey Institute, Ind, UCLA library, Westwood, Chicago Leather Museum, IL, One Institute, USC, Leslie/Lohman Museum, NYC, and the Tom Of Finland Foundation, Echo Park.
Three books have been published of Rick’s photography; Castro,(1990) published by the Tom of Finland Foundation , 13 Years of Bondage, (2004) Fluixon Editions, and S/M Blvd: Photographs of Street Hustlers and Remembrances-1986-1999, (All Night Menu), 2023.
Rick is the creator and curator of Columbarium Continuum in the historic Columbarium at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Rick was one of 11 artists featured in the historic first queer issue of Los Angeles Magazine, June 2019.
From 2005 through 2017 Rick founded and ran Antebellum Gallery Hollywood.
The first art gallery dedicated exclusively to fetish as art.
Rick received the Artist Hall of Fame Award from the Tom of Finland Foundation in 2015.
Rick hosts semi-regular tea salons at the historic Columbarium, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, and the Tom of Finland Foundation in Echo Park; dedicated to the preservation of homoerotic art and literature. Rick Castro lives and works in East Hollywood, where he daily blogs.
EXHIBITIONS- 2024
The Photo graphers Eye- slide show and lecture, Los Angeles Central Library-Los Angeles, 2/21/2024
Columbarium Continuum: By Rick Castro- semi-permanent museum at Hollywood Forever, Hollywood.
EXHIBITIONS- 2023
Copy Machine Manifesto: Artists Who Make Zines, Brooklyn Museum, NY,
11/15, through 2/15/ 2024.
Queer-ish- Ruth Williamson Gallery, Scripps College, Claremont, 10/28 through 12/15/2023
RICK CASTRO FOREVER- the historic Columbarium, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood-10/5- 11/30/2023.
Queering the Lens, slide show and lecture, Getty Center, 6/7/2023.
Collective Memory Installation- Department of Cultural Affairs, Grand Park, Los Angeles-
3/4 through 3/18/2023.
Mindful Journeys: WeHo Reads- West Hollywood Library, West Hollywood- 2/8/2023.
EXHIBITIONS- 2022
AllTogether: Archives from Tom of Finland Foundation- Community Centre, Paris, 5/5 through 7/23/2022.
AllTogether: Archives from Tom of Finland Foundation, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy 3/10 through 7/17/2022
EXHIBITIONS- 2021
Mildred Pierce Has Risen From the Grave: selected photographs from my archives-1986-2021- Glendale, CA- 11/14/2021
Pride Public- One Archives- Intercultural Community Center, Occidental College- 10/28- 11/5/2021
Queer Communion: Ron Athey- Participant Gallery, NYC, 2/20/2021
Queer Communion: Ron Athey- ICA Los Angeles, 8/16/2021
REFORMATION: First exhibition since the plague- Hollywood Hills-8/13/2021
Pride Public- One Archives- Los Angeles State Park, Los Angeles- 9/28- 10/9/2021
Pride Public- One Archives- Robertson Boulevard, West Hollywood, - 6/18- 8/20//2021
ReImagine Home- Department of Cultural Affairs- Los Angeles- 3/2021-present
EXHIBITIONS- 2020
LA Noir- Lisa Derrick Fine Art- Chinatown, LA - 4/4- 5/2/2020
Feral- Lisa Derrick Fine Art- Chinatown, LA-2/15/2020
LOVE4LOVE Queer Biennial- Ace Hotel, LA-2/8/2020
Round Hole/Square Peg- Long Hall West Hollywood, CA-2/8/2020
PHOTOLA- Barker Hanger, Santa Monica 1/30/2020
EXHIBITIONS- 2019
Ex Voto: Santisima - Lisa Derrick Fine Art- Chinatown, LA 10/5/2019
Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival - Tom House- 10/4/2019
Homosurrealism- Touchon & Co.Gallery, LA- 8/23/2019
Interiors Cast: Rick Castro/Elliot Reed- MiM Gallery, LA- 7/2019
RICK CASTRO: GLORY HOLE- Tom of Finland Store-6/2019- 10/2019
Goddesses & Gods Lisa Derrick Fine Art- Chinatown, LA-6/2019
Glendale Out- Ace/121 Gallery- Glendale-6/2019
Rick Castro: Fetish King- Tom of Finland Foundation, Echo Park-4/2019
Joys Of Sin- Lisa Derrick Fine Art- Chinatown, LA-3/2019
EXHIBITIONS- 2018
Rick Owens: Subhuman, Inhuman, Superhuman- La Triennale DI Milano- 1/1/ through 3/15/2018
WRITINGS
Cruising The Exorcist- Spunk Journal-2023
The Goddess Bunny Story- Department of Cultural Affairs- Los Angeles- 2021
The Dreamachine- Document Journal-2020
The Plague Diaries- Document Journal-2020
My Date With Joe Files- Document Journal-2020
Fire, Fascists and Trump Caravans- Document Journal-2020
Stefanie From El Serreno- Spunk Journal-2019
The Sheet Cake- Spunk Journal-2018
2024
Photos- Mascular #39
Rick Castro & Rick Owens- Q&A- I-D video
Photos & interview- HUCK magazine
Photos & interview- L' Oeil de la Photographie~
2023
photos & interview- Schön! Magazine- 2023
Photos & interview- Schön! Magazine-2022
RICK CASTRO FOREVER- KCRW
Review- Hyperallergic
Review- Artweek
Photos & interview- The Pride
Photos & interview- i-D/vice
Review- Queering the Lens- Daily Bruin
2021
Tribute to the Goddess Bunny- Another Magazine
Photos & interview- Christeene- Another Magazine
Photos & interview- Sillk Gallery
2020
Salvia- photos&interview- Document Journal
2019
Photos & interview- Metal Magazine
photos- mascular magazine#28
photos- homosurrealism #56
photos- homosurrealism #55
photos & interview- document journal
photos & story- gayletter
photos & interview- means happy
photos & interview-gloryhole- anotherman
photos & interview- flaunt
photos & interview- another man
photos & interview- advocate
photos & interview- kaltblut
photos & interview- pnpplzine
photos- terremoto
photos & interview- dazed digital
photos-dazed digital
photos & interview- the advocate
photos & interview- pnpplzine
photos & interview- homosurrealism magazine
photos & interview- balaclava q.
photos & interview with rick owens-glamcult
photos & interview- tom of finland foundation-another man
photos & interview with alice bag- another man
photos & interview with ron they- another man
photos & interview with tony ward- another man
photos & interview- Naked But Safe
photos- mascular magazine
photos- the stars of Hollywood Boulevard- narcissus magazine
photos-post-modern narcissus- narcissus magazine
interview & photos- john coulthart
interview- chaos reigns
interview- the life & death of a streaker- the advocate
interview Sex2K-
Interview- RICK CASTRO FOREVER
Interview- LA Times
Interview- Autre
interview- Accidental Bear
interview- rough trade art fair 2017
interview- intersections: los ángeles
interview- Pink TV Paris
interview- Tony Ward: Ward of the State
FILM & VIDEO
The Dark Waters of Hotel Cecil
ANTEBELLUM2016
ANTEBELLUM2015
ANTEBELLUM2014
ANTEBELLUM2013
ANTEBELLUM SAYS- Go Ask Alice Bag
ANTBELLUM SAYS- Tom of Finland
ANTEBELLUM SAYS- Darren Ankenbauer
ANTEBELLUM SAYS- The Black Dahlia
Plushies & Furries clip-
Hustler White clip-
Fertile LaToyah Jackson Video Magazine #2-The Kinky Issue!
Fertile LaToyah Jackson Video Magazine#1-Premiere Issue
CV
EDUCATION
Art Center College of Design
Santa Monica City College
Los Aneles Trade Technical College
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Creator and curator- Columbarium Continuum, Hollywood Forever Cemetery,
Contributing photographer & writer- Document Journal-2020- present
Contributing photographer- &writer - AnOther Magazine-2019- present
West Coast Editor- Studio Magazines- 2001-2008
Owner & Founder- Antebellum Hollywood Gallery-2005- 2017
Contributing photographer- Drummer Magazine- 1989-1998
Contributing photographer- Advocate Magazine- 1989- 1994
Contributing photographer- Frontiers Magazine-1988- 1994
Art director & assistant- Joel-Peter Witkin-1985-1990
Wardrobe Stylist- Herb Ritts- 1980- 1991
Director, producer & writer- The Dark Waters of Hotel Cecil- 2017
Co-director, writer still photographer,- Hustler White, feature film- 1996
director, writer still photographer,- Plushies & Furries, documentary-MTV- 2001
Director, producer & writer-45 Minutes of Bondage-1994
Director, producer & writer-- Another 45 Minutes of Bondage-1995
Director, producer & writer-Fertile LaToyah Jackson video magazine #1-1993
Director, producer & writer-- Fertile LaToyah Jackson video magazine#2- 1994
Director, producer & writer-- Three Faces of Women-1994
BOOKS
S/M BLVD: Photographs of Hustlers & Remembrances-1986-1999- 2023- All Night Menu
13 Years of Bondage- 2004-Fluxion Editions
CASTRO-1991- Tom of Finland Foundation publisher
AWARDS
Lifetime Achievement Award- Tom of Finland Foundation- 2014
Best film- Hustler White- Lille film festival, France-1996
GRANTS
Pride Publics- City of West Hollywood- June, 2021
The Goddess Bunny Story- Department of Cultural Affairs- Los Angeles- February 2021
Re-Imagine Home- Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles- November 2020
SELECT EXHIBITIONS-
2024
Columbarium Continuum: By Rick Castro- semi-permanent museum at Hollywood Forever, Hollywood, CA.
2023
Copy Machine Manifesto: Artists Who Make Zines, Brooklyn Museum, NY,
11/15, thru 2/15/ 2024.
Queerish- Ruth Williamson Gallery, Scripps College, Claremont, 10/28 thru 12/15/2023
RICK CASTRO FOREVER- the historic Columbarium, Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood- 10/5-11/30/2023.
Queering the Lens, slide show and lecture, Getty Center, 6/7/2023.
Collective Memory Installation, Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles, Grand Park,
3/4 thru 3/18/2023.
2022
AllTogether: Archives from Tom of Finland FoundationCommunity Centre, Paris, 5/5, thru 7/23/2022.
AllTogether: Archives from Tom of Finland Foundation, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
3/10 thru 7/17/2022.
2021
Queer Communion: Ron Athey, Participant Gallery, NYC, February, 20, 2021,
and ICA Los Angeles, August 16, 2021.
REFORMATION: First exhibition since the plague- Hollywood Hills-8/13/2021
2020
Feral- Lisa Derrick Fine Art- Chinatown, LA-2/15/2020
Round Hole/Square Peg- Long Hall West Hollywood, CA-2/8/2020
PHOTOLA- Barker Hanger, Santa Monica- 1/30/2020
2019
Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival - Tom House-10/4/2019
Homosurrealism- Touchon & Co.Gallery, LA- 8/23/2019
Interiors Cast: Rick Castro/Elliot Reed- MiM Gallery, LA- 7/2019
Glendale Out- Ace/121 Gallery- Glendale- 6/2019
Rick Castro: Fetish King- Tom of Finland Foundation, Echo Park-4/2019
Joys Of Sin- Lisa Derrick Fine Art- Chinatown, LA-3/2019
2018
Rick Owens: Subhuman, Inhuman, Superhuman-- La Triennale DI Milano- 1/1/2018
COLLECTORS
Clive Barker
Rick Owens
Durk Dehner
SR Sharp
Rob Henning
Kevin Comer
Kevin Retting
Tyler Cassity
Alan Poul
Gregory Ross & John Schuning
Georgea Regout
Katleen McConn
Florian Hetz
Marcel Alcala
Aaron Tilford
Mike Dhondt
Chris Cruz
Zachary Augustine
Ruben Esparza
Jeffrey Corley
Michael Lett
Paul Kubek
Houston Traher
William Wei
Dave Stewart
Marcus Bastida
Fay Dvorchak
Ken Dig
Nicholas B. Call
Maricio Padilla
Kevin Comer
Benjamin Aaron
COLLECTIONS
Alfred Kinsey Institute- IND
Tom of Finland Foundation- Echo Park
Leather Museum- Chicago
Leslie/Lohman Museum- NYC
One Archives- USC
SELECTED PHOTOGRAPHY
La Petite Mort- 2019
Rubber Happy Face- 1998
Caught Smoking- 1994
The Invisible Man Smokes- 1997
I'll Always Be Anthony- 1994
Cigar Stud- 1994
Rubber Executioner- 1990
The Tea Cup of The Dalia Lama- 2000
VIDEOS
RICK CASTRO FOREVER- 2023
