9/30/26

RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER

 9/30/2026/WEDNESDAY/5:55AM




RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER 2014
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<Rick Castro après Pierre Molinier: A La Maison Avec Moi-Mêmer, 10x8", archival digital print, signed on verso, edition of 6- 2014> model- @veryveryguyperry

originally appeared in NakedButSafe

RICK CASTRO- Los Angeles based Rick Castro is an emblematic figure of this particular school of contemporary artistic developments. 
Not only is he an acclaimed artist himself working in a variety of media since the 1980s but he has also collaborated with some major masters of queer creativity thus firmly establishing his name in the annals of queer art. 
Exclusively for Nakedbutsafe Rick Castro photographed a series of images paying homage to Pierre Molinier the 1950s French artist whose self-portraits in drag remain testaments to the power of fetish iconography.

RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER 2014
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< Rick castro après Pierre Molinier: La Femme Voilée~ 10x8", archival digital print, signed on verso, edition of 6- 2014> model- @veryveryguyperry

Interview exclusively for Nakedbutsafe by Panagiotis Chatzistefanou

PC~ Do you feel an affinity with the tortured heady possibly dangerous world of Jean Genet or John Rechy?

RC~ Well I absolutely adore Genet.... Anyone who can write a story about louses having sex on homeless gay men's bodies has won my heart!
And of course I’ve meet John Rechy a few times over the years. The first time was way back in 1977 at a clothing store where I was working. 
I didn't know who he was but got a big charge from the way he carried himself and his sexy tight clothing. 

Throughout the 80s i would see him from time to time in Griffith Park wearing little speedos on a well-oiled physique. He claimed to be "sunbathing.”

Then later in 1998 I was proposed to team up with him for a story about street hustling for Genre Magazine his writings and my photography. 
We had a phone chat where he informed me he had absolutely no interest to write about hustling ever again. "I've already done that," he stated. 

Then recently like last month I attended the 50th anniversary of City of Night and there was Rechy looking like a grand statesman with a toupee. 
He told the group how much he despised Gore Vidal and other gay writers and about how he didn't know how to use the Internet. 
When he would go to Amazon.com and give Four Star reviews of his own books unbeknownst to him his name was included with all his postings.


RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER 2014
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<Rick Castro après Pierre Molinier: La Dame Masquée,10x8", archival digital print, signed on verso, edition of 6- 2014> model- Ricardo Carranza 

Interview exclusively for Nakedbutsafe by Panagiotis Chatzistefanou-

PC~ I’ve never been to Los Angeles but of course my subconscious is colonized with its culture and imagery. In my mind your work seems to depict a shadowy side of the endless sunshine and movie glamour façade that Hollywood would like the world to have as the definitive image for this mythical city. As we all know though L.A. has a seedy underbelly well documented in books like Hollywood Babylon by writers like James Elroy Bret Easton Ellis John Rechy criminal cases like the Manson family murders or even the constant rumors scandals and intrigue surrounding the Scientology church and other cult-like groups. Hedi Slimane spoke of “satanic L.A.” as a mood influencing his first Yves Saint-Laurent collection out of his new atelier over there. Would you care to give your definition of “the dark side of Los Angeles”?

RC~ Los Angeles is so dark you can burn in its shadows. You have to remember that Hollywood was founded by cults and religion. There are more Methodist churches in Hollywood than anywhere else in California. Hollywood was founded by Methodists back in 1870s. Once the film industry began to flourish thousands of cults sects and religions came to find freedom and a fast buck. This has always been the makeup of Hollywood. As far as Los Angeles it’s no more or no less 'evil’ than any other city. Have you been to Las Vegas lately?

RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER 2014

RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER 2014

RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER 2014

RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER 2014


RICK CASTRO: AFTER PIERRE MOLINIER 2014
<CASTRO: BOOK- 1990>

<RICK CASTRO: 2026>
<RICK CASTRO: 2026>

<RICK CASTRO: 2014/2024/1997>

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