The Fairoaks Project Polaroids from a San Francisco bathhouse 1978

The Fairoaks Project Polaroids from a San Francisco bathhouse 1978

The Fairoaks Project is a bold and unapologetic celebration of gay male sexual culture featuring Polaroids taken at The Fairoaks Hotel in San Francisco by Frank Melleno in the spring and summer of 1978. During the late 1970's, the gay community in San Francisco was thriving, vibrant and sensual. There were numerous venues for gay men to congregate, such as bars, social clubs, political action groups and perhaps a half dozen bathhouses. Unique amongst these bathhouses was the Fairoaks Hotel which was located at the corner of Oak and Steiner in the Hayes Valley district. The hotel was a converted Victorian apartment building owned and operated from 1977 to 1979 by a group of men who had formerly lived together in a commune...Most significantly, the Fairoaks was racially inclusive, and was promoted as a party location. This party atmosphere fostered a lenient climate for informal photography. --from the introduction by Mark Thompson

Published Tuesday, June 10, 2014 by drkrm gallery
80 pages