Billy doll
A work of conceptual art, Billy championed diversity, gay visibility, safe sex and AIDS awareness.
A deluxe adult male doll, standing 13 inches (33 cm) in height and weighing 11.3 oz (320 g), Billy was molded from superior quality vinyl.
Using rotational molding the doll is made up of five individual body parts, which makes it possible for Billy to move and for him to be posed in many positions.
Around the world Billy has been written about in The Independent, i-D, Design Week, L'Expresso, The Guardian, El País, The Observer, the London Evening Standard and Le Figaro.
Monthly Billy "coming-out" parties were held at hip clubs in cities such as Miami,[23][24] Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Atlanta, Fire Island, San Francisco, Provincetown and Los Angeles.
Thousands would attend the parties to see buff dancers dressed as Billy, the venues decorated with images and videos created by John McKitterick and Juan Andres.
The event was directed and organized by John McKitterick, Juan Andres and LIFEbeat together with sponsors Tommy Hilfiger, Moet and Chandon, Christie's Auction House, The Advocate and Totem International.
Over 75 international fashion designers and artists generously united and donated their time and talents to each produce an extraordinary unique Billy in a heartfelt and purposeful effort to raise funds for LIFEbeat – The Music Industry Fights AIDS.
Artists and designers including Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, Christian Lacroix, Keith Haring, Tommy Hilfiger, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christopher Makos, Perry Ellis, Richard Bernstein, Liz Claiborne, Paul Smith, Moschino, Todd Oldham, Nicole Miller, Diesel, Rifat Ozbek, Betsey Johnson, Kenzo, Phillip Treacy, Katharine Hamnett, Agnes B, Matsuda, Antoni and Alison and Gianni Versace.
[28] In 1998, to raise further funds for the charity LIFEbeat – The Music Industry Fights AIDS, John McKitterick, Juan Andres, Totem International and LIFEbeat joined forces with Fortune Records and released a compilation music CD entitled Out and About With Billy[29] with donated tracks from Boy George, Pet Shop Boys and Billie Ray Martin.
Christopher Makos' photographic subjects in the past have included Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor.
[32] In 1999, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, an event which launched the gay liberation movement in the United States, Billy and Carlos donned drag.
In the same year twelve unique drag Billy and Carlos dolls were auctioned in the store window of Paul Smith in New York to benefit the London-based HIV/AIDS charity Body Positive.
The drag Billy and Carlos dolls included Liza Minnelli, Naomi Campbell, Bette Midler, Carmen Miranda, Madonna, Judy Garland, Cher, Dolly Parton, The Queen, Wonder Woman and Marie Antoinette.
[35] Also in 1999, John McKitterick and Juan Andres were approached by award-winning film director Todd Downing with the idea for an animated movie starring Billy, Carlos and Tyson called Jeffrey's Hollywood Screen Trick.
In 2003, at the Freerange Arts Exhibition at the Truman's Brewery in London, artist Alex Hancock presented 16 Feet Billy.
More conservative sections of society criticised the sculpture and the doll, accusing Billy, John McKitterick and Juan Andres of promoting,[45] sensationalising,[46] trivialising[47] homosexuality and the stereotyping of gay men.
[49][50][51] The story appears on CNN, NBC, Comedy Central, Howard Stern and all major press and radio, including a feature in Time magazine.
