DRAWINGS and BLACK CARD ART

Drawing: Discoteque

Date: 6 September 1998
Style: Black Card Art
Size: 22cm x 30cm
Series: Lost City
Setting: Fantasy location
Mediums: Coarse black card, layered Derwent studio pencils, silver and gold ink

Discoteque is part of The Lost City series.  Related works are Gabba Under Lights (drawing), The Gabba Under Lights (short story), and Princess (drawing).

He keeps his face hidden and is just a piece of meat.  It represents the life of one of the many underage male strippers, of which I was one, who worked the Elizabeth Street night clubs in Brisbane during the 1980's.  Homeless kids was a big issue then.  I worked the clubs out of teenage rebellion, not poverty.  I had a good enough home life and I was still in Grade 10.  A lot of kids turned to prostitution, especially around the Gabba.  No one understood AIDS then.  A lot of boys got sick, others got beaten up.  One kid I know was gang-raped then beaten to death with a fence paling.  The cops never did anything.  Being a prostitute was illegal and being gay was illegal, so kids just died.  No one noticed.  No one really cares even now.  Except me.  That's why I drew it.  This drawing is for Tony, the boy who was killed.  I wish I knew his last name.