Philip Karmali has been reflecting on Saint Sebastian, the early Christian martyr often depicted as a handsome figure in art, resonating with queer culture. As he prepared for the Frieze Art Fair, Karmali created exclusive T-shirts with Stone Island and researched Sebastian’s representation, linking it to Muhammad Ali's iconic 1968 Esquire cover. Karmali, a Nairobi-born, Brooklyn-based artist in recovery, emphasizes themes of discomfort and vulnerability in his textile art, aiming to evoke deeper conversations about these cultural icons and personal narratives through his work at the fair.
It's always somebody stereotypically gorgeous. So Saint Sebastian appears in a lot of queer culture.
During his preparation, he decided to start researching Saint Sebastian more.
The Nairobi-born, Brooklyn-based visual artist is recently sober, and credits boxing with helping him get there.
He also wanted to focus on the idea of uncomfort, discomfort in his work for Frieze.
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