Photo Exhibit Explores the Life
of Infamous Club Kid Richie Rich
By Shane Gallagher
Photographer Christopher Logan and celebrity stylist Derek Warburton will shine the harsh light of day on nightlife glitterati Richie Rich when they present their photo exhibition, Tragic Glamour, at the Pop International Gallery (473 West Broadway, NYC) this week.
It is the newest work from the duo that sparked headlines last month with their provocative images of Kim Kardashian ex Kris Humphries. That collection revealed a stripped down Humphries in underwear, capturing a dark, raciness rarely seen from American pro athletes. In Tragic Glamour, Logan and Warburton continue in their quest to showcase the concealed life of notables, focusing their lens on the notorious club kid who founded the Heatherette fashion empire.
What inspired you to create Tragic Glamour?
Derek Warburton: The inspiration for Tragic Glamour was really a case study for me. Here is this man who was celebrated for being a peacock at night and built a big career out of it. Then, over time, the lights came up, and what is left is a figure that seems completely lost in the bright light of day.
Christopher Logan: I remember being a confused gay teen in rural Virginia, watching a Ricki Lake show on “NYC Club Kids.” It was the first time I saw Richie Rich and the club kids. They represented out and proud to me. So when Derek approached me with the concept for this shoot, I was immediately captivated. I wanted to capture Richie and Ross in a way that no one has before: beyond the velvet rope and flashing lights.
Are your images meant to be outrageous like Richie Rich?
CL: I didn’t shoot the series with the intention of creating something over the top. This truly is a photojournalistic story. It’s an opportunity to sneak a peak into the extraordinary world of Richie Rich.
Why call it Tragic Glamour?
DW: Richie Rich is a victim of what America has become today, where one minute celebrities are idolized and the next forgotten.
Do we chew our celebrities only to spit them out when we’re done with them?
CL: Pop culture today is like a grocery store. There are many different varieties, flavors and sizes of celebrities, all with a shelf life. The idea behind this show is revisiting and celebrating these icons after the limelight.
DW: Today, a celebrity can be made overnight. But the quicker they rise the harder they fall.
What do you hope people will take away from the exhibit?
CL: I hope it might encourage some to reach for the dreams they had in youth, travel outside their comfort zones, and begin to love life in a new way. Glory may be fleeting, but I still believe it’s better to have experienced it once than to never have experienced it at all.
DW: Richie, himself, is in a place in his universe where he understands that life is all about experiences, and he is grateful for all he has achieved, but he also knows that there is an interesting journey ahead that could flourish or tumble.
What have you learned from your work with Richie Rich?
CL: I’ve learned that everyone has a story to tell. Richie Rich’s story is a magnificent one, and thankfully there is still time for another chapter.
Tragic Glamour can be viewed at the Pop International Gallery (473 West Broadway, NYC) on Wednesday, July 11. 15% of any purchase from the show will be donated to NYC’s Bailey House, the nation’s first organization to address homelessness and poverty among people living with HIV/AIDS. To find out more about Bailey House and how you can help go to: baileyhouse.org
For additional information on Tragic Glamour, visit: christopherloganstudios.com
