On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, Natural Pursuits took over the storied walls [and low ceilings] of Nowhere Bar in New York City to launch of Inked—our newest print issue dedicated to queer tattoo culture.
While one might question the suitability of a dimly lit bar for a magazine launch, Nowhere perfectly embodies the seedy history of queer ink with its subversiveness, grit, and unapologetic horniness. Although, to my knowledge, no one has tattoo’d there, it’s easy to imagine the buzz of a tattoo gun coming from somewhere in the bar.
Sure, in an ideal world, people could actually see the magazine I was launching. But, in this case, the low lighting provided an air of secrecy to the event. Reading Inked had the same energy as reading a nudie magazine under the covers in a friend’s bedroom. Guests huddled around the bar’s solitary window. Others pooled their phone flashlights to shed some light on the artwork. They discovered the world of Inked together.
Through these stolen glimpses a consensus emerged—Inked is a great conversation piece. People proudly displayed their tattoos and chatted about which dick prints resembled their own. More than one innuendo was made about the magazine’s girth.
Bring Home Your Copy
120 pages of beautiful photographs, dick prints, illustrations. Get tattoo tips, learn the history of queer tattoo, and celebrate nudity and tattoo.
Creative Director, John MacConnell, hadn’t seen the final product yet and was eager to get his hands on our thicc boi. Stepping outside for a glimpse in the sunlight, he confirmed the blacks were black enough, contrast was sufficient, and it met his high standards. oining me, the photographers, and models, we reminisced about the great time we had creating this magazine.
Patrick “Plush” Arias was buzzing around the event capturing candids and charming people into posing with au natural, recreating the atmosphere of the magazine shoot. Guests showed off their tattoos and mugged for the cameral. The results of his work accompany this piece.
If you haven’t picked up your copy, bring home Inked today.
NOT-AT-ALL STAGED PRODUCT SHOTS
Since it’s a Natural Pursuits gathering, we wanted to make sure people could indulge their inner nudist and make some art. Although Nowhere wouldn’t let us run around naked, we were able to curtain off a section of the bar and turn it into a photo studio. We invited Nico Kiray, known for his intimate nude captures, to create portraits during the event. Take a peek behind the scenes with these photos of the action in our impromptu Photo Booth. Keep a look out for an exclusive look at the portraits Kiray created, available soon for Natural Pursuits Online members.
A LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN
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