Give a man a mask and he will show his true face...
Oscar Wilde
Except around Halloween, I am usually not a huge fan of masks and face make-up within imagery of the male form. For me, the male form is not complete unless you can view it in it's entirety, especially the face and eyes. I have often felt that with some artists and some images, a man without a face can be too easily dehumanized with the singular focus being a models genitals, seemingly ignoring there's also a man attached.
The more however I've featured, imagery utilizes masks and make-up, the more I understand the honesty within Oscar Wilde's quote. All I had to do was think back to Halloween and the many costumes I wore as a kid. Even before I knew for sure who I was, and long before I shared it publicly, I gave hints through my Halloween costumes I chose to wear. I thought I was using the holiday as a way to hide, but in reality, those costumes and masks were unveiling the invisible mask I wore most of the rest of the year.
I remember distinctly how I felt in some of the costumes I chose, especially when running down the street in my superhero costume, or when bobbing for apples at a party I went to as Lady Di. (A friend went as Prince Charles) The right costume or mask has the power to not only change your appearance, but also how you feel about yourself while wearing it. That was certainly the case for me, and also seems to be clearly case for Josh Mosier in this set of shots byKent.
Josh seems a little more dapper in his top hat, a little more regal in his feathers and a little more uninhibited and free in his traditional tribal mask. After first featuring byKent's work with Josh this past summer, (Cool, Calm & Collected) I was eager to see more of Kent's work with Josh so artist and model got together to shoot some Autumn and Halloween themed images, including a set I featured last month. (Sunflower Season)
'I wanted to do something non traditional. Since Josh was going to be nude, I didn’t need to deal with costumes, instead I assembled props that I had that either could be used for someone going to a costume party or that would make someone think of Halloween. A nude model posing with props adds an unexpected aspect to them, like the ones of Josh posing with top hat and cane.'
'I also like to give my pictures a hint of humor, such as the one where he’s holding the mask over his crotch and his penis is playing the part of the mask’s tongue. I had an idea of the mask appearing to be sticking out it’s tongue by Josh getting aroused and his penis becoming larger/longer, but since Josh’s penis is already so big, I was certain he wouldn’t fit comfortably in the small hole in the mask if he became erect so I didn’t suggest that pose... Josh indulged my quirky requests without question, making him a great model to work with. Photographing Josh nude with a Halloween theme was a real “treat”.'
No comments:
Post a Comment