I am incredibly pleased to see New York galleries feature the work of some of the most important gay artists of our time. Herb Ritts (1952-2002) is best known for his iconic photos of every supermodel to grace the cover of Vogue as well as celebrities such as Madonna and Jack Nicholson. He is also the man who got Marky Mark to drop his pants for Calvin Klein. The Edwynn Houk Gallery in New York will be having a show of some of his most famous works. You should expect lots of naked supermodels and studies of the male form in high contrast black and white.

Ritts, an openly gay man, died of AIDS related complications at 50. A trailblazer in the fashion photography world he pushed the limits and blurred the lines between commercial and contemporary art. What I find most interesting about his photos, especially those of men, is how he blatantly festishizes mens undergarments ( I mean the man put Helena Christensen in mens briefs for a Chris Issak video!) and challenged how we view something that is “practical” and turned it into something to be desired. Herb, you’ve defined a generation through your lens and you are greatly missed.