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The portraitist is an observer of people; his attitudes and feelings will be reflected in his observations, and usually the interest in personality makes one study faces. Other aspects of personality show in the body — posture, ways of moving, etc. — but most is revealed in the face. People make their own faces, and Larry knew this instinctively.

David Hockney

Tarmak22 is pleased to present Larry Stanton: A Visual Diary, an exhibition conceived in collaboration with an artist’s estate (The Estate of Larry Stanton), a gallery (APALAZZOGALLERY) and a publishing house (Apartamento Publishing).

Larry Stanton: A Visual Diary is an ode to the life and practice of Larry Stanton, which was largely focused on portraiture. Featuring over 50 paintings, drawings, photographs and videos, the exhibition surveys the artist’s lifetime dedication to his community of friends, family and lovers — providing a picture of a segment of New York life which shortly disappeared with the advent of AIDS, an epidemic that annihilated so many of these faces, including Larry himself. The book Larry Stanton: Think of Me When It Thunders, published by Apartamento, will accompany the exhibition.

Larry Stanton lived and painted in Manhattan, New York, until he died of AIDS at the age of 37 in 1984. His most known work came from a short period beginning in 1981, after having been briefly instituionlised and recovering from a psychotic episode in which alcohol and the death of his mother played a significant role. When he returned to his work, he found in it a new commitment that became all engrossing. In NYC’s Greenwich Village, Stanton became a familiar figure, drinking coffee at the same spot everyday, often with his sketchbook whilst drawing someone who caught his eye. His studio developed into a gathering place for artists and writers who were enticed by his charm, looks, and the work he was producing. His friends and family became subjects for his portraits, but it was the boys he encountered during his nocturnal expeditions that became the main focus for his art.

Recent exhibitions and publications include The Male Gaze: From Larry Stanton to Now, The Artist Room, London (2022); Think of Me When It Thunders, APALAZZOGALLERY, Palazzo Contarini Corfu, Venice (2022); and Larry Stanton: Think of Me When it Thunders, (Apartamento Publishing, 2022).

Images
Guadalupe Ruiz
© Courtesy Larry Stanton Estate