Stanley Stellar's 'Don't Worry Boys' Captures Gay New York, 1970s–1990s
At 81, Stanley Stellar has just released his latest work, 'Don't Worry Boys,' published by Loose Joints. This monograph features over 100 of his photographs from a vast collection of 25,000, focusing on New York's gay street culture from the 1970s to the 1990s. Edited by Jordan Hancock, the 192-page book mixes candid studio shots with raw street imagery, vividly portraying life in the West Village. Andrew Holleran compares Stellar to Robert Mapplethorpe in the introduction. A Brooklyn native who got his first camera at age ten, Stellar studied at Parsons and is known for his Hudson River pier images. The book also includes a notable photo of Peter Hujar. 'Don't Worry Boys' is available now.
Key facts
- Stanley Stellar is 81 years old and was born in Brooklyn.
- His new monograph 'Don't Worry Boys' is published by Loose Joints.
- The book is 192 pages and contains just over 100 images from a 25,000-image archive.
- It was edited by Jordan Hancock.
- The book captures New York gay street culture from the 1970s to the 1990s.
- Andrew Holleran wrote the introduction, calling Stellar 'the street's answer to Robert Mapplethorpe.'
- Stellar studied graphic design at Parsons School of Design.
- He previously published 'The Piers' in 2024.
- Kodachrome 64 images were refused for depicting homosexuality.
- On Fire Island, police stopped men from dancing face to face.
- Stellar refused to emulate Robert Mapplethorpe.
- The book includes a photograph of Peter Hujar on the piers.
Entities
Artists
- Stanley Stellar
- Andrew Holleran
- Robert Mapplethorpe
- Diane Arbus
- Peter Hujar
- Jordan Hancock
- Scott Pink
Institutions
- Loose Joints
- Parsons School of Design
- Christopher Street
- New York Native
- Szarabsky Print Co
- Kapp Kapp
- Kodak
- Sainsbury's
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Brooklyn
- West Village
- Hudson River
- Christopher Street
- Fire Island
- Manhattan