If you’re searching for something that will stimulate your enthusiasm for the New Year and have you immediately standing to attention each morning in 2022, head to House of Voltaire, which has just released an exclusive limited edition A1 wall calendar by Ashish Gupta, where unapologetically NSFW queer images meet fine art photography. It’s the kind of piece that deserves to be well hung, taking pride of place in your home, but that you might have to hide when the relatives come to visit.
The distinctly queer take on the pinup calendar sees Ashish, best known for his eponymous fashion label, continue his relationship with House of Voltaire, which published GAZE in 2019, a stunning limited edition 365-page visual diary of gay desire that reflects the playfulness, beauty, and subversion associated with his two-decade fashion career, as well as the diversity of his model casting.
As with GAZE the book, and the @GAZEbyAshish Instagram account, Ashish’s 2022 calendar features intimate, frequently explicit portraits of men, that capture the queer male gaze with tenderness, and humour, while challenging established notions of masculinity and sexiness in mainstream gay culture and porn, where the models are active participants, not only objects of desire, but subjects engaged in intimate acts with the camera.
By queering and subverting the traditional pinup calendar Ashish creates something that is both playful and unapologetic in its scale and concept.
“I wanted to create images of sexual joy,” shares Ashish, “and the format of the wall calendar seemed perfect, an everyday object to remind us of the joy our sexuality can bring us every day of the year.”
The images provide an exploration of queer desire through the seasons. April’s showers have little to do with rain. May presents us with a dreamy promise of a ‘flower’ in bloom. October brings a unique take on the Scream queen. November is bathed in the cold light of a blue film.
Featuring thirteen original images photographed by Ashish, printed in full colour as individual A1 prints, the calendar is designed to be used either as a traditional calendar or by displaying each print individually.
The calendar is £75 with all proceeds supporting Studio Voltaire’s artistic and community projects. This special collectable item comes bound together with a wrap band featuring an additional GAZE image sticker. Alongside the calendar, Ashish has designed sticker sets, priced at £15. Available at houseofvoltaire.org and in-store at House of Voltaire, 1A Nelsons Row, London SW4 7JR. Printed in London by Calverts, the print & design cooperative who specialise in supporting grassroots projects campaigning for social change.
Read our exclusive interview with Ashish Gupta about his GAZE project.
