"While people know Aiden and I from adult movies, it doesn't give us an outlet for our other creative endeavors," Bobbi Starr said.
"Chris is a great talent and we've both worked with him on our projects. Since we knew the same people and traveled in the same artistic circles, it just made sense to come together to a place we could all display our work."
Their first exhibit, The Starrlight Gallery: Requiem David Aaron Clark 1960-2009, marks the one-year memorial of the death of their mutual friend, director David Aaron Clark.
The exhibit will feature original artwork by his friends and collaborators including Michael Manning, Steven Johnson Leyba, John Nystrom, and Charles Pinion will also be on display.
Aiden Starr, one of Clark's best friends, will present his body of work — including out-of-print books, videotapes and DVDs — in an interactive station as well as an original Buddhist/Día de los Muertos-inspired shrine in his honor.
The requiem will also be the only public showing of Manning's work commissioned by Clark for his personal use, including portraits of his lovers and mistresses and for use in his productions. Candid photos of Clark shot by Nystrom will also be on display.
Clark's passing still weighs heavily on the minds of his friends and fellow creatives who knew him.
"I first met him — along with his partner at the time, Joanne — at a Valencia Street cafe shortly after he had moved to San Francisco," Manning said.
"I was immediately impressed by this mountain of a man who was as intelligent and well-read as he was tattooed and pierced. A gentleman pornographer in the best Wildean tradition."
"David was stubborn in a good way," Nystrom said.
"His refusal to compromise whenever he was pressured to (I know — I was his producer on several projects) could make life miserable for the money people, but, in the end, resulted in something as close to art as one can achieve in this business. Not a day passes without thinking how empty my life would have been without Dave, and how empty it is now that he's gone."
Doors will open on Nov. 27 at 8 p.m.
For more information and to RSVP, contact Aiden Starr at aidenstarrxxx@yahoo.com.
