Luke Smalley's Sunday Drive

THREE GORGEOUS YOUNG WOMEN PILE INTO A VINTAGE, YELLOW CONVERTIBLE FOR A LOVELY SUMMER DRIVE. IT IS NOT JUST A DRIVE. IT SOON BECOMES CLEAR THAT THE GIRLS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE STATE PENITENTIARY TO VISIT THEIR INCARCERATED BOYFRIENDS. THREE ATTRACTIVE YOUNG MEN, WHO ARE KILLING TIME WITH EACH OTHER IN THE SLAMMER, WAITING FOR THEIR SWEETHEARTS TO ARRIVE.

With Sunday Drive, his fourth book publication and life exhibition, we say goodbye to photographer Luke Smalley, who so unexpectedly passed away on May 17 at the early age of 53. Luke made name for himself by shooting young men in adolescence and creating playful images that explored the intersections between fashion and masculinity. His work always shows a certain air of minimalism with a retro nostalgia, featuring small town, athletic all-American young men. Much of his work carries a homo-erotic character, sexually ambivalent but never perverse. Luke Smalley graduated with a degree in sports medicine and even worked a couple of years as a personal trainer. This interest in sport clearly comes to life is his photography, specially his earlier work which found inspiration in fitness manuals and yearbooks circa 1910.

Sunday Drive is divided in two sections. The first part presents the three girls, self-absorbed with their thoughts and in preparation for an afternoon in which they will see their boyfriends. The second half concentrates on the boys. They spend their time behind bars, doing the things Young prisoners to to kill time and in anticipation of their sweethearts. Consistent with his earlier work, Luke Smalley successfully constructs a world of a timeless era. His whimsical and sexy images toy with societal ideals of femininity and masculinity. Besides numerous exhibitions and features, Luke published three other books: Gymnasium, Kim Jones and Exercise At Home.

Sunday Drive is being released by Twin Palm Publishers and is accompanied by the exhibition Sunday Drive: A memorial Exhibition, presented by ClampArt, 521-531 West 25th Street Ground Floor, New York City. The exhibition opened on November 5 and runs till December 19 and displays besides the works from Sunday Drive also material from Luke Smalley's earlier publications.  For more information, please visit www.clampart.com. -B-

LUKE SMALLEY | BEAUTIFULMAG

Comments

[tonyC]

WEIRD but beautiful in some strange way..never understood art like this

Thanks,
Tony(nyc)

[Steve]

Sorry to hear about the passing of Luke Smalley. Didn't know anything about it. He was obviously a great talent and will be deeply missed. His last book "Sunday Drive" will be a fitting tribute to his life's work.