Gorgeous new art books & something I never noticed

I want to call your attention to two great new books by friends of mine. One is by Wes Hempel called "Paintings: Injury and Desire." Beautiful painting of beautiful men in their late teens and early twenties. Portraits really, mostly nude and in incredible romantic surroundings. Contact Wes at www.weshempel.com.

The other artist is Jack Balas, who has a wonderful new book out called "Tattoo Detour: Paintings and Drawings from Honolulu." This is unique kind of male nude book: captured in the moment drawings and paintings of young men in Honolulu. What I love is many of them having talking balloons (as in comic strips) and Jack is a funny, great writer as well. You're going to love this really front-edge new book. contact Jack at: www.jackbalas.com.

Wes and Jack are a couple whom I have known for quite a long time. You need to know about them!

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Dear David,

So many gay men seems to have suffered a lot in their growing up with feelings of guilt and rejection. I've heard you interviewed and you didn't seem to have this experience. Please explain.

~Muy Interested

Dear Muy Interested,

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but when I told one of my nephews I didn't think I had ever experienced homophobia he said "You just didn't notice." I think in the US we are very concerned about the opinions of others. This is not true everywhere. In France if someone in a village disagreed with everyone else there, that still wouldn't change their mind. For them, everyone else is wrong amd they can go jump in the lake. I'm like that. I always knew I liked men. And lots of men seemed to like me. And I don't really care what others think of me. I am only concerned about what I think of them. Listen, we are only here for some 70 odd years. We have to get on with it!

Men's Fashion & Artists Kehinde Wiley & Karen Kilimnik

Fashion this week will be for men and very avante garde:

I don't know why but I am nuts about this little plastic jacket. I'm not quite sure who is doing it on the haute couture level but my guess is you're going to see much less expensive copies right away.

This strange glitter top and shiny bloomers outfit is from Calvin Klein (of all people), and I would ordinarily shun it but with the plastic jacket you could strike quite a figure. You have to have some nerve to wear this but somehow I think it it very 21st century and not unmanly.

Hugo Boss has the look for summer in this pink jacket with grey pants, shirt, and tie. Boss is not considered up there with the big names but I always find the clothes are very well cut, make you look and are just daring enough.

This Armani white jacket look is great. This is what your jackets should look like.

I also want to talk to you a little bit about art today. There is an artist just coming on the scene, Kehinde Wiley. I bought two marble busts by him a few years ago and New York is now just catching on. He is a portrait painter, large scale, very classical technique but very modern subjects. I love him. I think this is where the 21st century art is going.

Also, look out for artist Karen Kilimnik. This painting of a British country house is part of an installation she does. She is at the Brant Foundation Art Study Center in Greenwich, Connecticut right now. That's a foundation created by the zillionare Peter Brant. Yes, he's married to Stephanie Seymour, the model. I remember Stephanie when she was working in New York at about the age of fourteen. She must have had a very ambitious mother. And look where she is now!