Testify! #14 Q&A w/ Christopher Schulz

Christopher Schulz Designer/Photographer

Q1: When I first saw PINUPS I was thrilled because it was the first time an Ideal Cub was represented in printed art. It can only mean you have impeccable taste in men, yes? Are your subjects simply your idea of a beautiful man?

Thanks. There are loads of bear mags that represent hot cubby guys, but I think what sets Pinups apart from other magazines is that it doesn't define what kind of magazine it is--for example, bear magazines all describe themselves as being of/for bears, and the bottomless pit of queer zines often mention that they're for queers. While I don't make claims--queer, bear, or other, Pinups still circulates within a very particular queer audience. Young creative guys who, like me, love beards, bellies and body hair, also love Pinups. I often wonder if they love Pinups because they can see themselves in it. Over the past couple of years gay men have been simultaneously joining the ranks of exhibitionism and photography as they partake in gay community sites online. People have become increasingly active in producing self-imagery, and in turn, have developed a fondness for their own image. I cannot tell you how surprised I've been by the number of friends (and yes, the subjects of Pinups are all friends of mine) who have expressed an interest in being the next Pinups model. It's thrilling to know that so many people are willing to be in the magazine because they believe in the beauty of body pride, even if it is only through the lense of my particular taste.

Q2: I like that there are no words in your publication and it seems to be exaggeration or deconstruction even of the classic centerfold. Are you concerned you might get bored with the formula? How might it change?

I don't expect I'll get bored with the formula since I have already made changes without interrupting the construct of the magazine. I will never completely do away with the exaggerated centerfold concept because it is essential to what makes Pinups unique. I'd also like to keep text out of the magazine for similar reasons, but there is a lot to be explored within the parameters that I've given myself. The magazine can be seen in 2 different views: the bound view, and the tiled "pinned up" view. Issue 3 explores how the images interact with each other, particularly the double-sided nature of the "pinup", by featuring one guy on a Manhattan rooftop on one side, and another guy in the woods of upstate New York on the other. I am looking to vary the 4th issue as well, focusing more on the individual pages as they appear in bound form. I've had many thoughts about future issues, and there is still so much to be played with and discovered through the formula that I don't see myself getting bored any time soon.

Q3: There is certainly a mystery in the objectification of your models because there is no information about who they are or what they do. Do people ever ask about the models identity? Have they acquired fans?

For me, the mystery is such an important part of the magazine. So many magazines act like printed versions of online community profiles, exploring a person's interests, which inform the way the person's image is seen and processed. If you don't give written clues about a subject in a photo, then that subject is all the more enticing. The first issue featured my friend Elliott. He received a tremendous amount of attention after the release in April. I still get asked about Elliott and Jason (from the second issue)--where they live, if they have boyfriends, how I know them, etc. Still, most people have been clever enough to search through Pinups' friend list on MySpace to find out for themselves.

Q4: With the launch of the PINUPS website will you possibly fill the void for aesthetically pleasing cub porn?

I don't think so. An important element of Pinups is that it is something to be experienced physically, so the website will mostly support and explain the magazine. However, if the website receives a lot of attention and grows bigger than the magazine then I might start a separate website all together. My interest in vintage porn aesthetics coupled with my desire to see hefty hairy guys in more visible platforms caused me to start Pinups. Most gay porn websites still reduce larger hairy men to a small special interest link. I agree that there is a need for an aesthetically pleasing cub porn site, and perhaps that will be my next endeavor.

Q5: When did you first encounter the language of Bear culture? Woof!

I can't say for sure. I've liked big hairy guys as long as I can remember. My first crush was on Mark Lester in Oliver, when I was 7. I'd say today my ideal man is Oliver Reed, who was also in Oliver, so perhaps my fondness for burly men was deeply rooted from early childhood. I used to keep my big boy interest fairly discreet, but that was a long time ago. I wholeheartedly embrace it now, obviously. As for the terminology, I have no idea when it was first introduced to me. I must have acquired it gradually over time. Woof is silly and I'm still tying to figure out what it has to do with bears, but damn it's funny. Woof!