It’s very hard to overlook Blake Cedric‘s artwork. The Mission artist has whipped neon camp into his own electrifying aesthetic language. Cheeky lil devils, sassy street gals, melty mustache daddies, care bear divas, and puffy-eyed club kids jump out with fluorescent exclamations like “COOCH,” SUP HO?,” and “PUSSY FAGGOT POSER”—putting the gay right in your face, on canvas, walls, jean jackets, skateboards, dildos, pretty much anything.
If you’re a local nightlifer, however, now it’s even more impossible to ignore his peachy pieces. Glamorous drag den Club Oasis re-opened last Friday, bringing back its absolutely fabulous restrooms (a dozen individual stalls with floor-to-ceiling doors!) that have been painted top to bottom by Cedric and six other local artists. Talk about captive audience. The restrooms have been dubbed “Club Toilet”—yes, there’s an Instagram account—perhaps not coincidentally also the name of the enormous queer techno party thrown during Detroit’s annual Movement Festival, which Cedric has art-directed for many years with a-plumb.
Those are just two of the big things Cedric has swirled into this world. Fri/24, 9:30pm-close, in honor of his birthday, he’ll be hosting a huge art mart and dance affair at Lookout in the Castro, with DJs Oscar and Siobhan and drag by podcasting personalities Diva Dudes. I wiped away any trepidation and asked for the poop on the potties and his redolent art.
48 HILLS You’re coming off a huge streak, designing Juanita MORE’s Pride party poster with a show at the GLBT History Museum, and your umpteenth year designing one of the biggest queer underground techno parties, Club Toilet in Detroit. What else do you have going on?
BLAKE CEDRIC Omg that was bonkers right ?!?!? I knew this year was gonna be fierce, but I didn’t know it was gonna be THIS FIERCE! I feel lucky to be able to show my work in both of these cities and it has only made me want to produce more and more. During these dark times it’s important more than ever to make queer art. Nothing brings me more joy than to throw it in the faces of our oppressors. They can gag on it. Currently I’m working on starting my own clothing line! It’s been a dream of mine forever and now seems like a good time to do it.
48 HILLS You painted a just officially unveiled toilet stall at the newly re-opened Oasis. (Also conicidentally called Club Toilet.) You’re flush with toilet work! Who are some of your favorite toilet inspirations?
BLAKE CEDRIC Ok so let’s get into it! Painting that stall was a total trip. When I went there I was let in by a staff member and we were the only two people in the building. I was obviously violently stoned as per usual. As I’m painting I somehow got myself locked in the bathroom stall and I had to use the toilet water to rinse my brushes out! Isn’t that fierce? So I guess I would be my own favorite toilet inspiration. Don’t believe me? Get a Ouija board and ask Heklina !
48 HILLS Two of your biggest influences are Margaret Keane and Lisa Frank. Who are some other artists whose works are catching your eye ?
BLAKE CEDRIC Come to think of it there are two people that are catching my eye here in the Bay Area—and a lot has been caught in my eye, babe. I know they are gonna pop off in the near future. They both do kinda whimsical-meets-sinister type stuff. Renée Antoinette and Evie Tumbles. They are punk AF and make me hopeful for the future! Having hope is vital for our survival.
48 HILLS What’s the strangest material you’ve ever painted on or commission you’ve taken? Besides toilets.
BLAKE CEDRIC Oh girl I’ve done some wacky things! From coffins to dentures to dildos! I absolutely love taking strange commissions, it makes me feel less of a crazy person when someone brings me something so unhinged to paint on. I’m like, “Wow girl, You’re the REAL FREAK!!” I hope more people come out of the woodwork and show that side of themselves to me.
48 HILLS Finally as a very SF-embedded artist how are you reacting to the AI boom, especially as it relates to art-making? Will we see any reaction surfacing in your work?
BLAKE CEDRIC EEEEWWWWWWW! I CANNOT with AI! It’s scary and so unauthentic. I miss the old world when people had to use their brains and put raw emotion into their work. Whenever I see an AI party flyer I get a reverse boner and puke on my blouse a lil bit. I would never be caught dead being so basic and boring. Leave that for the heteros!
MR. CEDRIC’S NEIGHBORHOOD Fri/24, 9:30-close, Lookout, SF. More info here.
