By: Nejdana Houshyar, Peak Associate
The Health Initiative for Men is a not-for-profit grassroots health organization, whose primary mandate is to “strengthen the health and well-being” of queer men throughout the province. As part of their efforts to spread awareness on health issues faced by men, the society regularly displays art from local queer artists at their studio on Davie Street. Their current exhibit on display is by Zaid KBear, who blends realism and impressionism by uniquely using soft pastels to contrast the masculine body with a sexual, ethereal form. The Peak spoke with KBear to learn more about his artistic practice and current exhibition.
When asked about his artistic style and influences, KBear describes his work as “explorative and evolving.” Because he is not classically trained, he explains a mix of “insecurity or inadequacy” fuels his exploration, pushing him to constantly change techniques while maintaining consistent themes between pieces. Specifically, he says he is “drawn to the male form” and is “interested in portraying sexuality.” He explains, “Living authentically as a gay man meant confronting and unlearning the shame and stigma I had internalized around homosexuality and sex.” He adds, “Art became a powerful way to work through that process to celebrate my sexuality openly and unapologetically, without shame or fear of judgment.”
KBear was introduced to soft pastels during a “single college art class back in 2007.” He explains that he has always been drawn to impressionist art because of the “sense of looseness and freedom it carries.” Although his early work was mostly impressionist, he reveals that as he “began taking on commissions and creating professionally,” his work “gradually became more realistic and more refined.” Now, while using both approaches, he says he purposely leaves areas “unresolved,” because he doesn’t “want the work to become a photocopy of reality, but also because it has become symbolic” and “there is always room for growth.” He describes his use of soft pastels as the “perfect medium for exploring that tension,” one that creates “texture, atmosphere, and depth in a way that feels uniquely alive.”
In KBear’s installation, he paints real, diverse men from local communities. Each work incorporates elements such as, “kink, harnesses, latex, leather, partial nudity, or minimal clothing.” He explains that these features “reflect forms of self-expression that already exist within queer communities and spaces and deserve to be represented without shame or sanitization.”
His decision to paint the masculine form in an unconventional, sexual way is because he believes there is still “discomfort and stigma attached to seeing men portrayed as objects of desire, vulnerability, sensuality, or beauty.” As he states,
“Depicting the masculine form openly and unapologetically is one way to push back against shame and expand what kinds of bodies and expressions we allow ourselves to celebrate.”
— Zaid KBear, Artist
