KALTBLUT presents “Queer Experiences” by Pierre-Yves Monnerville (he/him), a designer and photographer exploring how urban living, loneliness, identity, body image, etc, affect gay men’s mental health. He also founded Unapologaytic, an ethical gay brand promoting self-acceptance for LGBTQ men. Pierre was born in Paris and grew up between Martinique and Paris. Always wanting to live abroad, he moved to Berlin and London before settling in Brighton.
“I’m such a cliché, I literally feel sick. Sometimes I think I could only be described as a gym bunny, a Muscle Mary or any other silly name. One thing to defend myself (as if anyone cared) is that I truly feel happier now than ever before I started working out regularly.
The gym and the whole process of developing muscles and the satisfaction of seeing myself grow are boosting my self-confidence. I’m starting to be happy with myself now, and it’s very reassuring to think of my body as the one thing I can have a bit of control over. For some reason, I find the discipline of my routine reassuring. On top of it, I get a lot more attention and compliments now than 5 or 6 years ago.
I particularly love how my body feels after a good workout. It’s the best start to the day. I feel like I’ve achieved something. The icing on the cake is that I get to shower and share a sauna session with a few hunks. Well… on a good day.”
Muscle Mary is taken from the new book Queer Experiences.
Queer Experiences explores contemporary urban gay life through intimate portraits and personal narratives. The photos are accompanied by text fragments that read like private journal entries, offering glimpses into the subjects’ innermost thoughts, feelings and experiences. While some entries draw from my own life, others are inspired by conversations and shared stories within the queer community. Together, they create a candid and relatable portrait of modern gay life.
Photography by Pierre Monnerville / photo-monnerville.com / Instagram: @photo.monnerville
Muscle Mary Model is Ike / Instagram: @fitzone4ikenyc
10 things Model is Jam / Instagram: @jamthebigbear
