Francesca Alaimo: Queerness, Vulnerability and Strength
Earlier this year Guy Cry Club teamed up with the ever inspirational Sassify Zine to help judge an iteration of their Queer Creative Fund. Francesca Alaimo - an Italian British artist currently based in London - was selected as the winner of the fund with their captivating queer narratives carved out from an intricate and transformative process. I spoke to Francesca about the power art can have in expressing identity and in shaping lives.
NUZU: Masculinity, Mental health and the Culture of Rap
Rap group NUZU are making serious waves with their conceptual, intelligent and genre-defying tracks. Each member invites us to explore a different perspective of the world they collectively create, harnessing their imagination to fuel narratives that are true to each individual. I sat down with Jack, Kofi and Teige to speak about their relationships with artistic expression and how this exists alongside their experiences of masculinity, mental health and the broader culture of rap.
Catalina Carvajal: It’s Okay to Cry
Illustrator Catalina Carvajal creates work that transports the viewer into varying worlds of anthropomorphic figures, geometric-esque landscapes and emotive narrative. In support of Guy Cry Club she has produced a series of prints interpreting the sentiments of the Club in her distinctive style.
Buff Bar Bristol: Nurturing the Future of Nail Art
Nathan Taylor is the kind and conscientious soul behind Buff Bar Bristol. Their life as a human being and as a nail artist are intertwined, focused on an inclusive creativity that strives for openness. But this is merely a starting point. Painting the nails of others mean that their life becomes increasingly kaleidoscopic. The pieces from those they encounter are the building blocks for a thriving community of expression and understanding. We were fortunate enough to have a chat with Nathan about the world through their eyes.
Boys in Polish: Manicured Masculinities
Founder of Boys in Polish Jess Young has been unfolding the diverse layers of masculinity through nail art. The platform invites guys to take ownership of their identity; they decide what design to have painted on their nails as well as the styling for a final shoot to document their story. Throughout this time an intuitive dialogue begins to take shape, one reflecting both the individuality of the boy as well as the artwork Jess paints onto each fingernail. It is a collaborative process of expression and understanding. One which fosters positive change, uncovering the multiplicity of the male experience through creativity and a willingness to listen.
To Wither and Bloom…
Before Guy Cry Club launched in Sept 2019, there was a long and gradual process of evolution that took place. From those initial sparks of ideas to where the Club stands today i wanted its growth to be as intuitive as possible, regardless of the frustrating setbacks and self doubt experienced along the way. Motifs started to repeat throughout these ideas, sentiments, questions and ambitions. Visualising them even as rough sketches over and over again ensured that they became the anchor points which enabled a more certain direction to be pursued.