Paris, Je T'aime: Sixteen Years of meat at Cox Bar
I've always had a special relationship with Paris. It's a city I've returned to many times over the years, both for work and pleasure, and one that never fails to steal my heart. But my most recent visit was something else entirely.
Last week, I travelled back to the French capital to celebrate the launch of meat Paris Vol. 2, ten years after photographing the original Paris edition in 2016. What I hadn't quite prepared myself for was just how extraordinary the whole experience would be.
My lovely friends at Cox Bar in Le Marais had arranged not only a launch party for the new publication, but an exhibition celebrating sixteen years of meat. And when I say exhibition, I mean they had absolutely covered the place in meat!
Inside and out, the bar had been transformed into a celebration of my work, with photographs spanning the entire history of the project. Seeing all those familiar faces, images and memories on the walls of such an iconic Parisian gay venue was quite surreal. I've spent sixteen years photographing more than 800 men, producing zines, books and calendars, often working away quietly on my own. To suddenly see all that work celebrated on this scale was genuinely overwhelming.
I'm not often lost for words, as anyone who knows me will happily confirm, but walking into Cox and seeing what they'd done really did take my breath away.
None of this would have happened without the incredible generosity and enthusiasm of Vincent and Gilles, who put so much love, care and attention into making it all happen. Vincent, who appears in both editions of meat Paris, has been such a wonderful supporter of the project, and I really cannot thank them both enough.
And then there was the party!
On Thursday 5 November, Cox was packed with people who had come along to celebrate the launch of meat Paris Vol. 2 and sixteen years of meat. There were familiar faces, new friends, some of the wonderful men I'd photographed for the magazine and plenty of people discovering the project for the first time.
I was joined behind the decks by some fantastic Parisian DJs, who also happen to feature in the new edition. The atmosphere was incredible, and seeing so many people enjoying themselves, buying magazines and tshirts, chatting about the photographs and showing their support was an absolute joy.
There was something particularly special about celebrating the publication in the very city that inspired it, surrounded by some of the men who helped bring it to life.
I've often said that meat is about much more than photographs of naked men. It's about the people, the connections, the stories and the communities that have grown around the project. This trip felt like a fantastic reminder of that.
As an independent artist and publisher, it's easy to get caught up in the everyday business of making things happen. The printing, the packing, the postage, the finances and all the little frustrations that come with doing almost everything yourself. Sometimes you forget to stop and appreciate what you've actually created.
Paris gave me one of those rare opportunities to do exactly that.
To have sixteen years of work acknowledged and celebrated in this way, particularly in a city I love so much, meant more to me than I can adequately put into words. I came home feeling incredibly proud, grateful and, perhaps most importantly, excited about what comes next.
So, to Vincent, Gilles, everyone at Cox, the brilliant DJs, the wonderful men who have appeared in meat over the years and every single person who came along, bought something, raised a glass or simply stopped to look at the photographs, thank you.
You've given me a memory I'll treasure for a very long time.
The exhibition continues at Cox Bar in Le Marais until 3 December 2026. If you're in Paris, please do pop in, have a drink and take a look.
And if you haven't yet picked up a copy of meat Paris Vol. 2 it's available now HERE
Merci Paris. Je t'aime. ❤️
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