Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1044941
surfaces seem to beg the viewer to touch the work. The smaller scale that he works in beckons the viewer to come in close for an experience that might seem intimately private. As his and Martin's 10-year- old twin sons have grown older, Yosef's work sometimes becomes a family affair. His studio is adjacent to their Los Angeles home, and he often brings them in to assist in his process. This proves the ideal setting for Yosef to discuss weighty subject matter with his children, such as Syrian dictator Hafez al- Assad and gay history through fallen icons such as Rock Hudson, who died from an AIDS-related illness. S o, back to the institu- tionalized art world and its disdain of popular culture. What are Yosef's thoughts on the pros and cons of being married to such a well-known prey of paparazzi? Ricky Martin is also an artist, says Yosef, so they support each other's creative projects and struggles. Yosef doesn't discount the access he has received due to the couple's high profile, international network of friends and colleagues. As for the concept of matinee idols, pop stars, and beauty: Rock Hudson falls squarely in the first category; Ricky Martin in the pop-star slot; and I would say Yosef's good looks place him in the realm of heartthrob. For those aforementioned art-world snobs, the notion of the heartthrob artist is a true oxymoron. Call it akin to someone suggesting a heartthrob Nobel Prize laureate. But why not. Yosef's Instagram feeds his large following (close to 500,000) equal parts personal artwork, things he finds inspiring, and sometimes his wonderful physique. Recent posts were in celebration of his husband's Emmy nomination for The Assassination of Gianni Versace. Why have I been so conflicted writing this piece? Am I struggling with the millennial mindset that all is free to share through social media — thoughts, art, our bodies — juxtaposed with the high-minded art world that disparages anything but the purity of art, without any distraction? Is it that I have a hard time believing that there is such a thing as the complete package? Maybe there is — and he goes by the name Jwan Yosef. "Come September" runs through November 16 at the Goss-Michael Foundation, 1305 Wycliff Ave., Suite 120, g-mf.org. STEPHANIE PINKSTON & MARGIE HARRIS Executive Vice Presidents 214.803.1721 / 214.460.7401 stephanie.pinkston@alliebeth.com / margie.harris@alliebeth.com