Days of 1957
2026

Titled in a nod to C. P. Cavafy's memory poems, this work echoes his way of holding specific years as charged containers for youth, risk, and erotic looking. Like Cavafy's young men, sunburnt "at the baths and on the beach," this magnificent model appears briefly redeemed by light and water within the fragile safety of a walled enclave where queer desire could surface without scrutiny. The embroidered water's surface recalls Cavafy's "images of sensual pleasure," the way a stretch of sea or shore can ignite memories and fantasies of touch. Held in a state of luminous suspension, the model becomes a quiet act of remembrance that refuses to let the hidden summers slip out of history.

Bob Mizer took this photograph of Richard Dubois posing in the Hollywood mansion featured in Sunset Boulevard.

Days of 1957 #2 Days of 1957 #2
Days of 1957 #2
$795.00

Titled in a nod to C. P. Cavafy's memory poems, this work echoes his way of holding specific years as charged containers for youth, risk, and erotic looking. Like Cavafy's young men, sunburnt "at the baths and on the beach," this magnificent model appears briefly redeemed by light and water within the fragile safety of a walled enclave where queer desire could surface without scrutiny. The embroidered water's surface recalls Cavafy's "images of sensual pleasure," the way a stretch of sea or shore can ignite memories and fantasies of touch. Held in a state of luminous suspension, the model becomes a quiet act of remembrance that refuses to let the hidden summers slip out of history.

Bob Mizer took this photograph of Richard Dubois posing in the Hollywood mansion featured in Sunset Boulevard.

$795 CAD

  • I Have Gazed So Long is 6 x 8 inches (15.24 × 20.32 cm). The vintage photograph is transferred to a tight weave cotton and embroidered with cotton thread. The image is mounted on art board and floated on a mat board and behind glass.

    The black wood frame is 11" x 14" (approximately 30 cm x 36 cm). The piece is ready to hang with D-rings and wire on the back. A hook and nail is included. 

  • Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna, Afterpay, Link, and other options are available.

  • Shipping is included in the price of each piece. Works are carefully packaged and shipped via courier with tracking. All pieces ship from Vancouver, Canada. Delivery times vary by destination.

  • International buyers may be subject to import duties, taxes, or customs fees. These are determined by your country's regulations and collected by the carrier on delivery. The Queer Thread does not collect or remit these charges.

  • Each piece is framed and ready to hang. The length of the hanging wire can easily be adjusted. A hook and nail is included. 

    The glass and frame can be cleaned with a cloth dampened with clean, soapy water or glass cleaner solution. 

    Display your artwork away from direct sunlight and heat sources. 

  • A Certificate of Authenticity is provided with each piece.

    The vintage images are sourced from online archives, collectors, and dealers. I credit photographers, studios, and models whenever the record allows.

    Queer art has a long history of appropriation, largely because overt self-expression was not possible for gay people. Appropriation allowed artists to code messages in their work and, in many cases, pay tribute to those who came before them — artists who were unable to fully express themselves openly.

    My work continues this tradition. It is grounded in the work of pioneer photographers and models; to these images I add new expressions of meaning that comment on the history of queer culture and people.

    The source photographs are black and white. I apply a digital colourization before the image is transferred to cotton — not to modernize it, but because the contrast of black and white against coloured embroidery thread is too stark. The colourization is deliberately unrefined; I want the image to retain its age. Beyond this, I make no alterations to the photograph.

  • All sales are final. In the unlikely event your piece arrives damaged, please photograph the packaging and artwork immediately upon receipt and contact me within 48 hours. I will work with you to find a resolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Embroidered water surrounds David Zuborg — images made for looking, for wanting, when desire had no other sanctioned form. Queer art by Paul Gravett.
Richard Dubois suspended in light and embroidered water at a Hollywood pool. Inspired by Cavafy's memory poems. Hand-embroidered queer art by Paul Gravett.
Richard Dubois rising from a Hollywood pool, smiling at the camera — a moment of joy suspended in embroidered water. Queer art by Paul Gravett.