Contact Photo is pleased to present 'APPETITE,' a solo exhibition by Niko Devera, who explores American fraternity culture and deconstructs the hypermasculinity it perpetuates with his photographs. From May to December 2019, Devera photographed parties thrown by a fraternity organization at Florida International University called the Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter.

Traditionally, fraternity memberships in American higher education campuses promise young men transitioning from adolescence to college life a secure group of peers and alumni with whom they can network and build friendships in exchange for their loyalty and subordination to its rituals. Through this structure, fraternities act as a hub that reproduces and re-enforces the culture of misogyny, exclusion, substance abuse, and hypermasculinity.

Clashing desires are found in this project. The desires of the subjects in the photographs are not only sexual but also about masculine hierarchy. They are performing a specific role that shows sexual dominance over women as a group in highly social settings. It often involves physical interaction amongst the fraternity members, showing approval or encouragement towards their brotherhood. Devera, both repulsed by and attracted to their display of sexuality, brings to the viewers complex and compelling images of queer desire. Here, Devera's queering a "straight" space is a subversive act, and homoeroticism becomes a critical tool. 

The title of this exhibition, 'APPETITE,' is based on Plato's tripartite theory of the soul, a hierarchical division: reason dictated by wisdom and rationality, the spirit driven by emotion and passion, and appetite the lowest part of the soul aroused by the carnal desires of hunger and pleasure.

'APPETITE' is presented in Lenticular prints and digital C prints on the wall, a photo book, an interactive stereoscope in a closet, and a viewer-activated performance during the opening reception that invites the audience for a beer pong game.

Niko Devera (b.1999) is a Cuban-American artist from Miami, Florida, based in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from Florida International University in 2021 with a BA in photography and a minor in art history. He believes the artist is a vessel of experience- by agency or circumstance- whose purpose is to communicate a complexity beyond the limitation of language. Primarily through photography, his work becomes a mirror, reflecting the intangible threads that weave together the human psyche and the ethereal dimensions of spirituality. 

APPETITE

Niko Devera - Solo Exhibition
On view: Sep 1 - Sep 5, 2023 

Opening Reception: Sep 1, 6 - 9pm at 51 Porter Ave, Brooklyn

Gallery Hours:
Tuesdays - Fridays 12 - 7pm
Saturdays 12 - 5pm
Sunday (Sep 3rd only*) 1 - 4pm
Mondays - Closed

*Meet the artist, Niko Devera in person on Sunday, Sep 3, from 1 - 4pm