On view October 4 through October 30, 2013, Terry Furry's solo show is a provocative exploration of sexuality in the digital age. Furry's oil paintings are large-scale and detail-oriented — each work in the show spans four feet by four feet. We sat down with Furry to discuss the thought-process behind his work as he prepared for the show.
Loakal: The title "Intimate Strangers" beckons images of one night stands and lonely nights. Are you presenting a commentary on the ways sexuality plays out in an urban setting?
Terry Furry: Yes, well put... one night stands and lonely nights. "Intimate Strangers" is about our culture, our culture of strangers. About what's now, the one-night stands, Grindr, c2c, culture. It's about how we are even strangers to ourselves. It's about all the people we encounter throughout our lives that will never be more than one-night strangers. It's about loneliness, the anonymity and vulnerability, the fear of showing our inner selves and the courage it takes when we do. How it's easier to take a quick pic of your hard cock in front of the bathroom mirror and post for thousands of people (more strangers) to see than to share even a moment of our hearts. There is a freedom attached to this as well. Intimate Strangers is also about the freedom associated within the contradiction. "I will never know you" and "you will never know me" while you're ...um... being intimate with each other.
L: There is something deeply personal about your subject matter, yet the subjects are anonymous. Is there an autobiographical or personal thread you are exploring in your work?
TF: Yes, of course.
L: How do you seek out models for your pieces?
TF: Usually my models are people I already know. Rarely, do I approach strangers asking if they will pose. It’s my fear that they might think it's a “come on” when I ask them to model. If someone seriously does catch my eye, and I am in my studio where they can see I actually am a painter, and not just trying to get them to show me their stuff... I will ask. But there are moments when I see a guy wearing the perfect pair of pants and I just have to paint them, and I’ll ask if I can take a few photos and usually they are cool about it. But either way, I have to be attracted to the person in some way. It can't be just the perfect pants that they are wearing.
L: Tell us about your painting process. Do you use reference photos or photoshop? How long does it take to complete each piece?
TF: I have a photo shoot, where I take 100s of photos. I don't direct, the models self-direct them selves. They do whatever they feel comfortable doing, I am just a camera. I then edit the photos for their strength and honesty. I am looking for those moments that visually work for me, compositionally or some emotional sensitivity that the model is throwing out there. At this point, I usually choose the top three images to play work with, and finally decide on one, which I use as a reference to do my initial drawing and begin the painting.
At some point during the process, I occasionally do use Photoshop, mostly as a reference for values, I don't use the program for planning the painting out, although ironically, that is the appearance I want the paintings to have, just an effortless one-click filter.
I love color, and it is especially important because of the potentially harsh flat plains of color in my current work, that each color has sensitivity to its neighboring color. My favorite part of the process is choosing, mixing and balancing color. Each color is applied in linear strokes of paint allowing the eye to blend the flat geometric colors with its neighboring shade.
This show is a representation of my work from the beginning of 2012 to now. With the exception of taking one month off to create the Saint Jacque series earlier this year, I am a paint-oholic. Each painting has taken 1-3 months to complete, although I also had a full time day job during most of this period.
L: In the art world there is a long-standing tradition of presenting sexualized female bodies through a male gaze. Do you see something rebellious in presenting these gorgeous male bodies?
TF: There is a bit of gay activism in it, absolutely. The trickster side of me — and I don't know if that's the right word, possibly "mischievous" — loves that my subject matter sometimes make people uncomfortable. There is, however, a part of me that get's really pissed off when people react to these like they are obscene. There is not a penis or a testicle anywhere on these pieces. Yet some people just fucking giggle or are offended. WTF?! But, it's about how people really view art differently when they are viewing a female body versus a male body. Viewing a woman's body is not uncomfortable for them. It's part of art history. Male reference is just " gay."
L: Your work is dominated by fabrics and patterns; sometimes you even paint garments without the presence of the wearer. Do you have an interest in fashion or is it more about the geometric possibilities of the fabrics?
TF: That's a great question. I don't know how flippant I should be about this one. I have zero fashion. Well, no, I'm a gay man, I like fashion but that’s not my intention. I love how fabric delineates whatever it's covering and it has its own movement and texture. And, that's just cotton, white cotton. But when there is the addition of a pattern, it just gives something extra to those bodies wearing it… something they wouldn't have otherwise. It shows foreshortening. It shows depth. It shows movement. It offers all these awesome art challenges. And the other thing about these patterns... they tell us something about the people wearing them. These anonymous people. That's how you are getting their personality. You get to know them. Who they are. So you can do a fucking portrait without a face.