GAY GALLOPERS FOR ADOPTION
BORN from PAPER MACHE AND QUEER DESIRE, THESE CAROUSEL PONIES ARE READY FOR A FOREVER HOME
EACH GAY GALLOPER Includes a wall mount and adoption certificate
Free delivery and Installation in the NYC Area
For appointments, inquiries and more, please contact me
MAGENTOPIA
Magentopia is bold, empowered by her rhinestone encruted harness and luscious lashes.
Paper Mache, joint compound, ostrich feathers, rhinestone trim, patent leather, stainless steel mirror ball, acrylic paint
15 x 22 x 9 2 lbs 11 oz
$1500
TAXI DRESSAGE
Taxi Dressage is dazzling. Her flowing black mane and classic checker design wink to the endangered yellow cab.
Why not go for a ride?
Paper Mache, joint compound, vinyl, leather, stainless steel mirror ball, cabinet doorknobs, black rooster feathers, acrylic paint
15 x 20 x 9. 4 lbs 2oz
$1500
SOLD
CHANDELABRA
Chandelabra is glamorous. Drenched in glass beads, chandelier jewels, costume jewelry and fuchsia feathers she shines bright wherever she trots.
Paper Mache, joint compound, leather, stainless steel mirror ball, cabinet doorknobs, feathers, costume jewelry, glass beads, rhinestone trim, chandelier crystals, acrylic paint
18 x 18 x 9. 6 lbs 7 oz
$1500
SOLD
Photographs by Phil Van Nostrand
I follow in the footsteps of my Grandfather, Jon Corbino, whose paintings of circus horses taught me to love art.
My work continues the design traditions of the carousel, bringing out its deep queerness.
My first memory of riding a carousel was at Glen Echo Park just outside Washington D.C. The 1921 Dentzel Carousel smelled of aged wood and popcorn. There was a snare drum that played by itself. I don't remember the horses or the glamor, but I do remember the wonder I felt each time the carousel whipped past the organ and that miraculous snare drum played.
In my 20's I was introduced to the Prospect Park Carousel. I heard the organ playing and followed the music. I sat down on a bench and watched as the horses rushed past with their tongues hanging out. Joyful tears poured from my eyes.
Since then, I have designed carousel inspired stages for music festivals, painted murals with communities in Greece and Italy and wheat pasted carousel ponies on a Brooklyn water tower. These gay gallopers are small acts of queer love, childhood joy and camp realness.
Jon Corbino Frieze, 1962
HOW ARE THEY MADE?
Each horse is sculpted from clay. Newspaper is carefully laid on top of a clay mould in a technique taught to me by Paper Mache masters in Jacmel, Haiti and Peter Schumann from The Bread and Puppet Theater. After the paper cast dries, it is cut from the mould, often resulting in two to three separate pieces. These pieces are glued together, a neck is added and the entire head gets another layer of paper mache. After this dries it is covered in plaster. The plaster is then sanded, details are added and sanded again. Everything is sealed with gesso. Stainless steel mirror balls are placed in the eyes, and then she is ready to be painted. I use heavy body acrylic paint finished with a high gloss sealer. Harnesses are fabricated from refuse materials collected at Materials for the Arts and adorned with trim and costume jewelry. From start to finish each gay gallopers take about four weeks to complete.
