The Must-See Photo Show

IS: Would you say in fact that photography in some way helped you find your identity as a gay man?

EJ: Yes, I learn from photography, and from having these photographs all around me on the walls. My mother came over, and she said, "'Cor, you buy these by the ton." [laughs] I said, "Yes, I do." I love collecting the male nudes. Mapplethorpe did some beautiful ones with the shadows coming from the blinds in the room, falling on the model's back. From Wilhelm von Gloeden, to Herbert List, to George Platt Lynes, to Greg German, Herb Ritts, and of course Bruce Weber--I never get tired of their photographs. And I don't get embarrassed showing all these male nudes to people. I'm a much bigger collector of male nudes than of female nudes. But I do like certain female nudes too. There's one that I have by Edward Weston [right], which is one of my favorite photographs of all time. The form is so beautiful--the shape that she's in and the composition of the photograph are perfect. You don't see her face. Apparently (and I don't know if this is true or not, but it sounds right to me), Weston only photographed the faces of the women he loved, which is a really fabulous story.

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