Incubus’ Choice: Close-up on Drasko Bogdanovic

What message(s) do you want to express through your work?

I found male nudity to be one of the last taboos of our society. Men just don’t get a chance to show their beauty and be appreciated for it the same way women do. It has gay connotations and it gets dismissed because of it. It is uncomfortable for us to fit masculine and beauty together. With a more natural relationship to nudity, we might also be freed up to find each other a lot more fascinating. Oddly, in a culture where anything goes, it is disturbing that nudity is the new public enemy while we get to see so much blood and violence even before we finish our breakfast!

Which artists inspire you? Who are your masters?

I always come back to photography of the early 20th century. It was a different aesthetic at that time. But 70’s gay culture, Peter Berlin, Wakefield Poole or photographs of Joe D’Allesandro all have that raw sexuality that appeals to me.

What have you gained by being on the internet?

It is such a good exposure, I can’t imagine an artist today without some online presence. It is great tool to connect, and it gives instant audience.

Did the internet enable you to meet new models, to find new exhibit places?

Most of the models featured on the website I met online. Some guys from Europe I would never get a chance to meet if it wasn’t for the internet. I found great places online to show my work too.

Has your work ever been censored? If so, how did you deal with it?

One of the local gay papers refused to publish Pleasure and pain after it was shown at the local gallery. It was one of the most popular images at the exhibition. Fortunately, there are places in Toronto that appreciate erotic art and understand explicitness it comes with. Instead of suppressing me, it gave me a new venue to show my work.

What projects mean a lot to you at the moment?

In Flagranti is a solo show that will run through August and September at Come As You Are, and it is a real labour of love. I am very excited and honoured to be invited to participate in the first Queer Sarajevo Festival this fall.

Could you tell us a few words about the place you live/work in?

With such a diversity, Toronto is a wonderful city to live in. It has very vibrant art scene, large gay community, it is very open and liberal. And with people so warm it is easy to forget our Canadian winters.

Close-up on…