Joe Oppedisano's Renaissance

FOR ALMOST A DECADE THE SAINT, A DANCE CLUB IN MANHATTAN’S LOWER EAST SIDE, WAS HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST EXTRAVANGANT AND DECADENT PARTIES IN NEW YORK. IT WAS WHEN HOUSE MUSIC REVOLUTIONIZED THE GAY SCENE, TURNING DISCO NIGHTS INTO SEXUALLY LOADED EVENTS WITH THOUSANDS OF HOT AND SWEATY BODIES MOVING ON THE IRRESISTIBLE BEATS OF NOW LEGENDARY DJ’S. AND WHEN EVENTUALLY THE CLUB WAS SHUT DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT, THE LEGEND EMBARKED ON A DYNAMIC ENDING JOURNEY, BRINGING TO MAJOR DANCE EVENTS BY YEAR TO MANHATTAN’S WEST SIDE BASED ROSELAND BALLROOM: THE USER-FRIENDLY WHITE PARTY AND THE DARKER, PREDITORIAL BLACK PARTY, GIVING ROOM TO AN UNSTOPABLE RENAISSANCE.

Once every year, gay men from all over the world, shed their everyday skins and take on their most sexual identity. The Saint At Large Black Party is their outlet to bring their deepest fantasies to life during a marathon of musical adventures that lasts 18 hours long. For more then 20 years, the Black Party has revitalized gay nightlife, making Studio 54 look like kinder garten. And 2009 is no exception. On March 29, The Saint At Large goes back to the dawn of creation, the time before Eve when men only knew seduction of men. The Eden Rites XXX Black Party will bring religion and myth and saints and sinners together under an artificial sky of a thousand stars.

Known for his testosterone loaded photography of the most masculine men whose virility and sexuality jumps in your face just by looking at them, New York based photographer Joe Oppedisano is on a constant quest of evolution and renewal. Already with his most recent and successful photo book Uncensored (2008) he introduced a new style in his work, portraying his erotic characters in a way that at first glance reminds of 1950’s pin up stars in modern age urban settings. Specially for the upcoming Black Party and in close cooperation with New York's gay journal NEXT Magazine, Joe Oppedisano created a series of portraits, featuring legendary and mythical characters from our history in a highly polished yet rough and sexual style, with a brute force that can not be ignored. Against a backdrop of dreamlike landscapes, Joe transforms the men of our dreams into icons of our pasts, mixing religion with eroticism. Resurrecting characters from the Bible and Greek mythology, Joe Oppedisano introduces us to his Renaissance, a decadent enlightening of the darkest corners of our minds. His photos will sweep you away in a sensational tornado that truly will leave Kansas behind and embarks you on a quest to your Land of Oz, named The Saint At Large Black Party. –B-

Models from top to bottom, left to right: Fred Faurtin as Lucifer | Ersin and John as Eros and his lover | Gio as Jesus | Blaine as Moses | Jacob and Nikki as Adam and Eve | David as David | Marco and Frank as The Pietà | Isaac as St. Francis of Asisi | Ben as St. Sebastian | Primo, Pedro and his twin as Bacchus & the wood nimphs | Anthony as St. Michael.
Stylist: David Dalrymple, photography: Joe Oppedisano.
The Rites XXX Black Party, featuring DJ Boris, Eddie Elias and Junior Vasquez opens its door on Saturday March 21 at 10PM. Roseland Ballroom, 239 West 52nd Street, New York City. For more information: SAINTATLARGE.com. See also NEXT Magazine.

JOE OPPEDISANO | BEAUTIFUL
SAINT AT LARGE | BEAUTIFUL

Comments

[Ray]

Joe Oppedisano is such an amazing artist. I'm always excited to see new photos from him.

[calvin brockington]

WOW!!! I have always loved Joe's work and art. This is a different side of him, that is just incrediable...Keep it up!!

[TheNiebur]

Absolutely stunningly beautiful work! Some of the very best ever. Mr. Oppedisano always have such amazing vision... This is perhaps his best so far? BRAVO ;)