Gabriel Martinez explores queer history and Fire Island mythology in 'Bayside Revisited' at Philadelphia's Print Center
Cuban-American artist Gabriel Martinez showcases his solo exhibition 'Bayside Revisited' at the Print Center in Philadelphia until December 19. This exhibition delves into queer cultural history, particularly highlighting the experiences of gay men in the 1970s and 1980s, with a significant focus on Fire Island Pines. Martinez, who teaches photography at the University of Pennsylvania, was introduced to Fire Island through the Village People's 1977 hit. The display includes winter scenes captured during a hike when ferry services were suspended, alongside multi-layered prints and a curtain that nods to Donna Summer's aborted 1979 performance. The dimly lit space features a soundtrack from Wakefield Poole's Boys in the Sand and a mirrored ball projection, honoring those lost to the AIDS epidemic while reflecting on themes of nostalgia and desire.
Key facts
- Gabriel Martinez's exhibition 'Bayside Revisited' runs through December 19 at the Print Center in Philadelphia
- Martinez first learned about Fire Island through the Village People's 1977 song when he was nine years old
- The exhibition focuses on queer history between Stonewall and 1981, including references to Donna Summer, AIDS, and Wakefield Poole
- Martinez hiked five hours from Robert Moses Park to reach Fire Island Pines during winter when ferries don't run
- The exhibition features multi-layered hybrid prints combining silkscreen, inkjet, and silver leaf techniques
- Donna Summer canceled a July 7, 1979 performance before 5,000 gay men on Fire Island
- The exhibition includes a projection of Boys in the Sand onto a mirrored ball coated with sand from the Meat Rack
- Martinez collaborated with curator John Caperton on the exhibition as part of the Print Center's centennial
Entities
Artists
- Gabriel Martinez
- Darren Jones
- Donna Summer
- Wakefield Poole
- John Rechy
- Evelyn Waugh
Institutions
- Print Center
- University of Pennsylvania
- artcritical
Locations
- Philadelphia
- United States
- Miami
- Florida
- Little Havana
- Fire Island Pines
- Cherry Grove
- Sayville
- Robert Moses Park