'Man's naked form belongs to no particular moment in history; it is eternal, and can be looked upon with joy by the people of all ages.'
Rodin
When poring through the images of Chris shared by photographer Richard Rothstein, so many adjectives ran though my mind, It's impossible not to be immediately struck by how beautiful Chris is, handsome, sexy and strong. Richard's images however, captured more than just the external, making it more difficult to choose just the right descriptors to use.
It's always difficult to choose specific 'words' to describe a model, a particular image or shoot and especially words to encapsulate an artist's work, This is especially challenging when the artist see's beyond just the surface, beyond only the body and captures something a bit more complex.
Richard's images of Chris have a thin outer layer of erotica for sure, but outer layers are covers an don't really tell the story. There is something in Chris' poses, his movements, and especially his eyes, that have you seeing beyond. His body is quietly imposing, but his physique, his muscles seem as much a sign of his inner strength and calmness, than pride in appearance or physical power.
In so many images of bodybuilders, you can feel their sense of competitiveness and even an underlying desire to prove something to others. With others however, like Richard's images of Chris, it almost feels as if his body's appearance is a more the melding of mind and body in a spiritual pursuit. A personal journey beyond just adding inches and building muscle mass.
I saw and felt so many nods to both famous artists and classic male statues, maybe the most pronounced, aspects of Rodin's The Thinker. I love how Rodin created a strong, heroic figure who was deep in thought and most of all still. Richard's images of Chris capture this dualism, the yin and the yang. So often, photographers capture just one side of a bodybuilder, rarely moving beyond the brawn.
Sculptors however, capture ore. Maybe in part, due to the longer creative process. Classic sculptures required a model to sit and pose for hours, even days or weeks. Patience an essential element. Richard's images of Chris are constructed much like a sculpture, capturing both the quiet beauty and stillness, along with sumptuous detail of every line and curve of Chris' magnificent body. .
Chris is visually stunning from all angles, but the images Richard captured of Chris' back and but, and especially his side poses were for me, particularly breathtaking. Chris was not posing, but being, no grunting or flexing to have his muscle pop. The muscles are there, clearly, but didn't appear any desire to them show off... there was no need
-See more of Richard's work with Chris on PAGE 2 HERE:-
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