Rick Castro (July 20, 1958) is an American photographer, motion picture director, stylist, curator and writer whose work focuses on BDSM, fetish, and desire.[1]
In 1986, photographer Joel-Peter Witkin took him to purchase his first camera in Albuquerque. In 1988, at the age of 30, Castro became a freelance photographer, and his work appeared in the Los Angeles gay news magazines Frontiers,[5]Drummer[6] and the national gay news magazine, The Advocate.[7][8][9]
Throughout the years, Castro has had a number of exhibitions, including "Furotica: It Ain't Exactly Bambi" at the Track 16 gallery in Los Angeles, 2003.[10]
His 1994 short film of hustler interviews inspired Bruce LaBruce to film Hustler White with Tony Ward. Castro collaborated on the film as writer and co-director with LaBruce.[12] In 1998, he appeared in Sex/Life in L.A.Jochen Hick's adult documentary about the sex lives of the men who make L.A. adult movies.[13][14] Castro has directed a number of other short films and a documentary, Plushies & Furries, (2001) for MTV.[15]
Castro's first gallery opened at Les Duex Cafes, Hollywood, in 2002, and premiered the first Furry themed art show. In 2005 Castro founded Antebellum Gallery,[16] the only fetish art gallery in America, which he ran from 2005 to 2017.
Castro shot the F/W look book 2014 for designer Rick Owens using his 93-year-old father Al Castro as the featured model.[17]
During October, 2015, Rick Castro received an artist lifetime Achievement award from the Tom of Finland foundation.[18] Castro's photography was featured in Rick Owens: Subhuman, Inhuman, Superhuman at Triennale di Milano, December 2017- March 2018.[19] Castro was interviewed by his former boyfriend, designer Rick Owens for the May 2019 issue of Autre Magazine,[20] and featured in the historic first queer issue of Los Angeles Magazine, June 2019.[21] Castro is contributing photographer and writer for Another[22] and Anotherman Magazines UK.[23]
Castro created a virtual memorial entitled The Goddess Bunny Story,[24] for one of his early models, Sandie Crisp, AKA The Goddess Bunny,[25] who died of COVID-19 on 27, January, 2021.
Three of Castro's large scale images were featured in Illuminate LA’s Collective Memory Installation, Grand Park, Los Angeles, February/March 2023.[26]
Castro was one of the featured artists presenting a slide show of his photography and lecture for Queering The Lens at The Getty Center, kicking off Pride, June 2023.[27]
"Rick Castro Forever"[28][29] was presented at Hollywood Forever Cemetery at the historic columbarium, October 5th through November 30th, 2024. Castro's photography brought queer sensibility to Hollywood Forever.[30] As of February 2024[update], "Columbarium Continuum: by Rick Castro", is an ongoing unique museum hosted at Hollywood Forever.[31][32]
Castro was part of a history group exhibition, Queer-ish presented at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery,[33] Scripps College, Claremont during November/December, 2023.[34]
During 2023 and 2024, Castro was featured in Copy Machine Manifestos: Artists Who Make Zines.[35] This exhibition featured 1400 items from zine creators from 1970 to the present day.
In 2024, Castro's photography were featured in Tom of Finland Art & Culture Festival at Halle am Berghain, Berlin,[36] and Vitam Picturarum (Life in Pictures) sponsored by WeHo Arts Festival, West Hollywood.[37]
Castro's first solo exhibition entitled Las Trece Vidas de Rick Castro, (The Thirteen Lives of Rick Castro) premiered in August 2024 at Galeria HGZ, Querétaro.[38]
Published books
Sweet, Sam (2024-06-24). Rick Castro S/M Blvd: Photographs of Hustlers & Remembrances- 1986-1999. All Night Menu. ISBN978-0-9992682-1-6.[39]
Castro, Rick (2004). 13 Years of Bondage: The Photography of Rick Castro. Bondage Series. Los Angeles: Fluxion Editions. ISBN0-9672129-4-4.
Castro, Rick; Olley, Michelle; Childers, Michael; Flynt, Robert (2000). Homme. Masterpieces of Erotic Photography (in German). Edition Olms. ISBN3-283-00368-8.
