Mel Odom solo show “Gorgeous” opens at Daniel Cooney Fine Art.
Odom has three books and in ’91, he created his own doll “Gene Marshall,” based on a fictitious film actor from the Forties. More than one million dolls have been sold since it debuted at the 1995 Toy Fair. This fall the United Federation of Doll Clubs Museum in Kansas City, Mo., will stage a retrospective.
“For a doll to exist as a commercial product for 25 years is quite an accomplishment in itself because things tend to come and go rather quickly within the toy business because tastes change. It’s always a new bunch of kids coming along even though Gene was made for adults. Perhaps that’s why Gene has lasted so long.”
But before that, fame came in the 70s, when Playboy, Time, The New York Times Magazine and Rolling Stone used him regularly. And posters. If you were gay in the 70s, every other chic disco/gay bar had an Odom Adonis on its walls.
This Saturday, the artist will sit down with the novelist Edmund White on Saturday afternoon to discuss his career. Over the years Odom has done his share of covers for White.
I’ve been told they will tape the interview, so I’ll post it ASAP. Should be interesting those two, if you know your gay history, and ESPECIALLY if you don’t.
Go see Gorgeous at Daniel Cooney Fine Art, Thurs, Jan 10, 6-8PM, 508 – 526 West 26th Street, #9C New York City.
(via WWD)
