What is your target audience & what are you trying to say…where is your truth?
This is a hard one. Anyone who is interested? Perhaps the people who are already interested in what goes on in such places are the people who would be interested in this work. Though for me, art is communication, and whats the point of communicating about something to someone who already knows? So then the question becomes, what is this work to people not already in the know? Put it to the extreme, do I want my mum to see this work, do I want her to think that darkrooms are a wonderful thing after viewing it? I think the answer is no. So in that way yes, the work is for myself, and for people like me. In away, it celebratory, an enjoyable foray into the world of casual sex between men, but then why bother exploring the voyeurism, the uncanny and the call of the void? Perhaps my work is an analysis of the dark room culture.
My truth? I like standing on the edge, and sometimes I like to jump. Who cares about the aftermath because life is all about the fall. It sounds like a warped version of one of those vinyl wall stickers.
What interests you most…the hunt?, The sordid act? Or the aftermath – what the French call La Petite Mort.
I think much of my work is about the hunt, the precursor, the lead up. With my work in the darkroom (studio), that would be the act, but I have never yet considered the aftermath. The aftermath for myself in the past has ranged from severe guilt and depression, to walking away feeling joy and fulfilment, on the right track and enjoying life. For me, my aftermath is just looking for another ledge to jump from, its always been that way in everything I do, I am always looking to move things one step further.
You take pains to mention the studio shots are simulated & not pornographic…what constitutes pornography or a sexual act? Does it have to end in orgasm? A great deal of fetish when seen objectively is not the least bit sexual, but in context it changes. A naked foot to one person is banal, but to a foot-fetishist it is highly erotic.
In honesty this is a problem with my self being true to my work, I am still trying to hide pieces of what the work is about because I think I have a worry about what people would say if my work became "Pornographic". This is not the first time someone has approached me about this, and I think it might be time to face the problem head on in my next shoot. I have been working a lot more in the studio lately and friends of mine have noticed and have asked to be involved. It might be time to "walk through the ghost" in terms of my aversion to nudity and sexuality.
Is the Call of the Void linked to excitement & adrenaline…there are people that can only get sexual gratification when there is danger involved (here you link again to cruising and cottaging).
Yes it is absolutely linked to excitement and Adrenalin, its the fear and wonder at what could happen next, what lies beyond in the darkness, though I hadn't considered the concept of sexual gratification through danger. Though I am reminded of an article I read recently when researching fetish photographers about Matt Spike who mentioned having an interest in putting his models in high places, though this was in reference to the work of fashion photographers in the 60's rather than sexual gratification, in the same interview however he mentions various fetishes many of witch can be very dangerous (Harrity, 2019). Through my own involvement in fetish culture I am personal aware of many fetishes that are based on sexual gratification through danger, an old friend of mine even organised for a group of men to abduct him and sexualy abuse him, recounting to me that he nearly lost his job because they didn't tell him they were gonna grab him on his way to work, but that it was worth it for being one of the "Scariest and horniest" experiences he had ever had. Its also not uncommon to hear phrases such as "I want you/him to rape me" among fetish related discourse, be it online or in person, in fact one of the latest phrases to be thrown around particularly on social media refers to both violence and emulated incest: "Choke me Daddy", to the point of becoming a popular social media meme over the last couple of years.
Harrity, C. (2019). 20 Questions With the Master of Fetish Photography, Matt Spike. [online] Advocate.com. Available at: https://www.advocate.com/photography/2018/10/26/20-questions-master-fetish-photography-matt-spike [Accessed 28 Nov. 2019].
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