The Female Gaze fall 2009

I am creating these woman scenes to exhibit woman, in supposedly sexual positions that juxtapose with the awkward facial expressions that the girls display. I tried to capture a unique gaze in these girls eyes, an awkwardness that they display to the viewers, the mysterious side of the girls. 

 

This subject matter made me realize that through the years society has broken down walls and conventions, less imagination is needed to observe a photograph, every wrinkle and spot is blown out in front of our eyes, no hints are there for us to explore and find out what is hiding underneath the surface. With a push of a button one could find a pornographic image to look at, a sex worker to sleep with, an apartment to rent and a job to work at, we are shown photographs that are provocative, digrading and humiliating to woman.

 I want to reverse the brutality in imaging woman and go back in time by combining playfulness and sexuality, and especially the gaze of the woman in the photographs - that are usually in control and in a powerful position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am trying to create a certain atmosphere in my work, a nostalgic feeling, with soft and intriguing scenes. Trying to achieve the old postcard sensibility with the help of the models I am photographing and our communication about the subject of the photographs. Through using new digital technology and modern cameras I am trying to recreate "past" art works. Without sexualizing woman yet using the accessories that could make a  woman seem sexual I tried achieving an "older" sesibility to new technology.

From back of Robert Lebeck's, "Bibliphilie pour tous Playgirls D'antan" (collection of playgirls for all): "What used to make grandfather joyful and grandmother redish..." 

Vulnerability of the male nude -Fall 2009

Showing vulnerability - that is what I am trying to achieve. Through this process I can maybe cure myself. Looking for something that is not quite clear, that is how it started. From there it continued to the desire to portray the complete nudity of someone else, anyone else, because the feeling of being naked began with me.

It is like a present that you want to tear open, slowly you peel layer after layer, and all the pieces fall down on the floor. All that is left is nudity, not the pysical kind of nudity, but the bear naked soul that is left out there, you can feel it through the gaze.

Everything started with Edward Weston, my inspiration since high school, the artist of body delusions, I wanted to follow his way, separate body parts, show the beauty and the bizarre.

 

My process changed and I started capturing the whole complete body, with face, and it focused on the gaze, that special exposed look in the eyes that I had on my face, and I wanted to show it through other people.

The men are looking at me, in a very real and honest way. The portrait is intimate; there is a true connection between us.

 

With these 4 men that are friends in my life, I explore vulnerability - some of these men are more open and real with me. Some try to reveal themselves to me and it doesn't work, but it's a level of opennes that is hard to achieve, so I understand.

 

 This was my final project for spring 2009

shot with 6/6 Hasselblad

Windows & Lights    

an ongoing project that I started at fall 2009