Two Warm Days in August
The BOFFO Fire Island Performance Festival as seen through the lens of photographer Matt Grubb.
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Hello—
I seem to be using the words ‘dreamy’ and ‘glorious’ frequently in this newsletter. Back when we started GAYLETTER our most used words were ‘cunt,’ ‘fag,’ ‘queen’ and ‘whore.’ I’m not sure the reason for the change. Is it evolution? Or is it a fear of causing offense to the sensitive souls of 2022? On that topic, I don’t buy the theory that people are more sensitive today. People have always been offended by everything, it’s just now they have more platforms to share their “disappointment” on. Do we need to listen to each and every gripe? I would argue no. I’m not willing to carry the “disappointment” of internet strangers on my back.
For this edition I would like to bring back some of that old-school GAYLETTER vocab. So here goes: The fags, queens and whores were out in full force this summer for the BOFFO Fire Island Performance festival held in August on the beach in the Pines. (Did that feel forced? That was a little forced).
Faris Al-Shathir, who runs BOFFO sent us some photos from the two day festival. The glorious photos were taken by photographer Matt Grubb, a super talented fag who shot our Charli XCX cover. His dreamy photos offer up a real buffet of beauties celebrating Boffo’s “innovative and experimental art” (these queens love a high brow moment).
For those unfamiliar with BOFFO, here’s a little background from Faris:
BOFFO, a nonprofit that presents innovative and experimental art, brings you the BOFFO Performance Festival Fire Island 2022, in collaboration with OCDChinatown. Like in years past, it was a weekend of thought-provoking performance, music, and dance on the beach in the Fire Island Pines.
This year’s festival featured a stimulating constellation of artists that form a Symposium of experts in the art of queer performance. BOFFO was proud to welcome: BEARCAT, Dia Dear, Tess Dworman, devynn emory, Vinson Fraley, NIC Kay, Keioui Keijaun Thomas, Macy Rodman, and Gage Spex. With music by Sausha De La Ossa, and Fashion LaBeija. Artists Richard Kennedy, Maxi Hawkeye Canion, Fernando Casablancas, Jonah Almost, Kyle Kidd, and reed rushes took part in a collaborative performance, fostering an exchange of ideas and practices that align with the hybridity of the Symposium’s heterogeneous space.
That last line is deep. I’m not sure I’m smart enough to know what that means, but regardless, the pictures sure are pretty. Matt took portraits of performers and guests, and other creatives on the island for the weekend.
A few guests to note include Hari Nef and Jordan Firstman; festival performers Vinson Frailey, and artists and performers Edgar Mosa & Joe McShea and Tyler Ashley.
Oh how quickly summer slips through our fingers. Take a trip back to August below. Cheers queers.
-Tom & Abi
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