GALLERY SPOTLIGHT:
TOXIC MASCULINITY:
The Old Reliable World of David Hurles
by Clarisa González
David Hurles was not what you’d call your average photographer. Rather than a perfectly coiffed model with a dazzling smile, Hurles aimed his lens at the rough (and sometimes criminal) men of San Francisco and Los Angeles, often placing himself in precarious situations for the sake of his work.
Over three decades, Hurles became a pioneer of outsider erotica, capturing the raw, untamed energy of rugged masculinity. Concept Animals sat down with curator Beth Schindler to discuss her upcoming show, Toxic Masculinity: The Old Reliable World of David Hurles, which features film, audio, and personal belongings from the late photographer’s archives.
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Hurles, a Cincinnati native, began his career in photography after a brief stint as a model for physique photographers during the 1960s. In the early 1970s, Hurles founded Old Reliable, a publication that produced and distributed erotic photos, audiotapes, and films across the United States.
Schindler first encountered Hurles' work through a longtime friend of the photographer, Christopher Trout. "I'm a deep, deep lover of queer archives,” Schindler explained. ”That's one of my favorite things in the world. Christopher would tell me stories about all
this stuff he had, and one day, he came out of his bedroom with a little freezer bag full
of 3x5 photos of David’s. He said we could go and see [Hurles’] archives in L.A.” she
recalled.
That trip proved transformative. Trout connected Schindler with Dian Hanson, the head
of the Hurles estate, who gave them access to David’s archive. “Dian showed us this huge
archive, and it's amazing—it's so beautiful. I told them, 'Let's use me and use
MASS.' It became a really collaborative process. That's how Toxic Masculinity happened."
For Schindler, the project was as much about respecting the emotional weight of Hurles'
legacy as it was about presenting his art. "David had just passed in April of 2023, so
fairly recently. Christopher and Dian were still in mourning, processing their grief, and I
wanted to be mindful of what felt good for them and follow their lead regarding what the
show looked like," she said. "I'm hoping that [Toxic Masculinity] will showcase his work
in a way that allows people to be immersed in his environment and his vision."
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At first glance, the men in Hurles' photographs exude an air of defiance, staring into the
camera with an intensity that feels both confrontational and inviting. Hurles' fascination
with "rough trade" was as much a personal proclivity as it was a creative choice. His
work often featured men whose lives were marked by violence, addiction, or instability.
"This is not an uncomplicated project by any means," Schindler admitted. "I think the
show really lends itself to the conversation around how toxic masculinity affects men
just as much as it affects women. David liked to be mistreated by these men and taken
advantage of and sought that out. A lot of these guys were on drugs, a lot of them were
gay for pay, and that's what David was into. There's a way in which he was
unapologetic about it that's liberating." Ultimately, Schindler also hopes the show will
challenge reductive narratives about queer lives. "A big part of this is trying to uplift, for
better or for worse, the realities of queer existences and how dynamic they are."
Toxic Masculinity marks the first public exhibition of David Hurles' work since 2010 and
introduces personal effects like diaries, audio clips and meticulous notes on his
subjects. "We spent so much time looking at these photos of these men that he worked
with over the years," Schindler explained. "David had ways of categorizing them and
keeping tabs on them. There were a lot of minimizing categories, which are kind of
intense to think about, but he would also draw little hearts or make notes like, 'This
person's in prison, this person's dead, this person's missing.' It's super real." Altogether,
these elements provide a glimpse into the complexities of Hurles' world.
David Hurles' life eventually came to embody the themes of toxic masculinity that he
captured so vividly in his work. He often lost himself in the chaotic world of his subjects,
mirroring the violence and dysfunction he loved to document. By 2007, his career had
begun to decline with the introduction of internet pornography, his home had been
repossessed, his health had deteriorated. Yet, his creative archive remained intact, a
testament to his dedication to his craft. Toxic Masculinity is both a tribute to Hurles'
provocative artistry and a reflection on its cost.
Toxic Masculinity: The Old Reliable World of David Hurles will be on display at MASS
Gallery from January 18th to February 21st.
About the Curators:
Beth Schindler is an Austin-based artist, curator, and organizer, known for her roles as
a founding member of Homo Photo Club, QueerBomb, and OUTsider Festival, creator
of Dyke Bar and Lesbian Wedding, and as president of MASS Gallery.
Dian Hanson is a book editor at TASCHEN with over 50 titles to her name, including
The Big Book of Breasts, ARNOLD, and The Big Penis Book, and is the head of the
Hurles estate.
Christopher Trout is an award-winning multimedia journalist, co-founder of The Grass
Agency and The Bob Mizer Foundation, and creator of the web series Computer Love..
You can keep up to date with the gallery by following The Projecto here.
Images from this article have been provided by Hayley Labrum Morrison and Coka Treviño
