Saturday, December 10, 2011

GAY IN THE GULAG in DIK Fagazine (Poland)







The latest issue of DIK Fagazine, "BEFORE ’89," is the culmination of extensive archive work, as well as travels across Europe, that touches on a cultural legacy specific to Poland. Drawing from a range of contributors, the magazine follows a trail through Poland, Russia, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Serbia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

Bruce LaBruce’s text gives the impression that’s describing a time when Communism is alive and well, and not Poland in the year 2000. Wolfgang Tillmans, who first visited Warsaw in 2011, provides an account of the anniversary of the plane crash in Smolensk, celebrated in the overblown national-religious vein of the Polish right.

The publication follow the trail through park cruising areas, train station, beaches and other casual hook-up spots, at points envious of the sexual encounters with strangers. Ryszard Kisiel shares the astonishing story of his zine titled “Filo”, partially reprinted here. Slava Mogutin uncovers the story of homosexuals in the Soviet Gulag. Finally, "BEFORE ‘89" conducts a search investigation for Michel Foucault’s Polish lover. This issue also brings the unsettling texts and drawings by Wojtek BÄ…kowski, as well as a comic strip by Andrej Dubravsky, a young Slovakian artist.

Great contributors of DIK Fagazine 8th issue are: Arobal, Wojciech BÄ…kowski, Bruce LaBruce, Boris L. Davidovich, Andrej Dubravsky, Paul Dunca, Christine Fenzl, Nan Goldin, Kamil Julian, Ryszard Kisiel, Slava Mogutin, Jaanus Samma and Wolfgang Tillmans.