During the late 1950s, Vince Aletti discovered physique magazines that both excited and worried him, reflecting the tensions of being a gay man in a repressive society. These magazines, while posing as health publications, conveyed coded messages to gay readers through striking images of nude, muscular men. Aletti, in his book "Physique," advocates for a reevaluation of these images, arguing they deserve recognition as museum-quality art rather than simply being seen as relics of the past. His extensive collection and appreciation represent their historical and aesthetic value.
From Vogue to the pages of countless fitness magazines, Aletti discovered a world where physique photography served as coded communication for gay men in an era of repression.
Aletti argues that the artistry of these physique photographs should not be dismissed as mere nostalgia but valued as significant works deserving of museum representation.
Collection
[
|
...
]