ARTPORN

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I don’t know if reviewing magazine cover art is a thing? So if it’s not I’m making it so because the cover of Issue 1 of “Loverboy” magazine, the brainchild of Michael Turnbull, needs reviewing!

Ever since I first saw the image of Francois Sagat dressed as 90’s Madonna sprawling the satin cover of Loverboy, I have been entirely captivated by this magazine artwork. Even though it’s been out for quite some time – almost a year now – I can’t stop looking at it. Perhaps because I use it to transport my drawing paper around instead of a polypocket, but for whatever reason, the picture never loses it’s power.

The expression on Sagat’s face coupled with utterly flawless and natural looking make-up by Joseph Harwood perfectly captures a relevant image of Gay-Culture. Fierce, Fucked-up and Flawless, it is free of the ties of what we think “Gay” looks like and resonates more clearly with the next generation who have been starving for something more truthful; Porn Star Artists, Drag Queen Politicians and “Supermodelesque” Trans Icons such as Munroe Bergdorf; and of course the necessary plastic surgery over-the-topness of the one and only Janice Dickinson.

This cover provides a strong mix of classic looks with new-aged edge making it visually powerful to a wide range of the gay population while still retaining a strong opinion.

Sagat’s gender bending ventures are undeniably arousing with a seemingly impossible, smooth blend between extreme masculinity and femininity; shot through the lens of Greg Bailey whose photography is unintrusively crisp and fresh allowing us to focus fully on the subject in hand.

I even have the t-shirt of this cover and I have worn it to death, it will continue to fade until I turn it into a vintage crop top and the sweat patches  from never ending club grinding turn it yellow.

I believe that this will be one of the most iconic images and magazine covers for the modern Gay world and I’d like to share it with you all again.

Thank you all at Loverboy for your genius and I hope that there is more to come.

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Written by Ted Rogers “Artpornblog”

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