I have always enjoyed Philadelphia chorographer and performance artist, Gunnar Montana. His work is fun, vibrant, woke, and often gives no fucks. Like his current art installation where he partnered with Trojan Condoms to design and construct a photoshoot set out of 2,500 of their Bareskin Lubricated condoms. Yes he did!!
Gunnar's work has appeared in festivals,galleries and event spaces, across our region, to mixed reviews but there is no denying his installation and exhibits will make you feel something. Infusing movement and visual arts, Gunnar's work refuses to be defined, and will often blur lines. I first became familiar with him with a exhibit he had at a gallery called Kink Haus, I believe, and have loved him and his work since. His artistry as a whole is an array of visual installations, prop based chorography, set design, costume design, transformation of an atmosphere and innovative movement concepts and ideas. Gunnar is taking his growing reputation as an artist and choreographer with a healthy measure of realism too. And he has no intentions of getting bigger or going off to make it big in NYC. He just wants to be heard and to be able to make work. He has a clear idea of what he wants to do...and does it, and where he can do it best. He defines himself as a visual physical artist, in the sense that his work is based on visual art, and it's often immersive, which is why, being so very visual myself, I like his work. His newest project Safe Station, specializes in creating safe spaces for people to express themselves...and he took the opportunity to build a super gay bedroom and then invited a handful of his colorful, queer friends to come and be photographed in it. So many messages pulled into this...and positive ones...and he pulls it off beautifully I think. Play safe, enjoy sex, vibrant, colorful, blurring gender lines, be the freak you want to be!!!
Now if Gunnar doesn't know what to do with all those condoms when the set is taken down...call me Mr. Montana...I can think of quite a few ways to use them.....I have a king size bed too...
