For his gymnasium series, these ceramics take the form of boxing gloves, free weights, and kettlebells. Instead of numbers, the weights bear words like bodily terms (Cum and Jizz); roles and types (Daddy’s Boy, Twink, Slut); or commands (Fuck Me, Eat It). Strzelecki says that in the gym, “straight men, who would never consider themselves as part of queer identity, become assimilated into gay men’s imagination. Here, macho men watch their reflections in the mirror, checking every part of their posture and development while inviting other gym members to admire their body.” Here the cruising fantasy of the gym comes to life, particularly on the kettlebells, where Strzelecki has realized scenes of men wrestling, embracing, fucking, and working on their physique.

Krzysztof Strzelecki works across various media, focusing on ceramic vessels that explore homoeroticism and human sexuality. Growing up isolated and homosexual in rural Poland, the scenes Strzelecki depicts emerge from a longing for erotic and romantic escapes. He collects images of men when surfing the web, browsing apps, and referencing his personal photo archive and preserves them on his captivating vessels. In an array of vivid colors and shapes, at times evoking cacti, waves, fruit, or even apartment buildings, Strzelecki creates his own world where his subjects inhabit their environments freely and unself-consciously.