'The images from Bare Men share moments of joy, angst, self-care and self-love, playfulness, doubt and reflection through each man’s own filter of masculinity.'
Some FH viewers might remember my previous piece spotlighting the work of Abigail Ekue and her Bare Men series. I especially love that Bare Men celebrates the inherent beauty, sensuality, sexuality and vulnerability of the everyday man. I also love that in order to each man's own unique filter of masculinity, Abigail captures them in environments and locations they feel at home in. The locations could be their actual living space, or somewhere they often frequent, are comfortable in and feel connected with.
When I first featured Abigail's work, I was drawn to an image of Isaac. (In A Personal Light) I especially loved how Abigail captured Isaac's connection to the space where the shoot took place. I was drawn to how Isaac moved, touched and posed within the space. When I recently revisited Abigail's Bare Men portfolio, I was again drawn to a specific image and model. This was a very different model and a very different space but the connections captured were just as powerful.
This time the model was Steve, and the location, the Red Rock/Calico Basin in Nevada, about a 20 minute drive from Las Vegas. Abigail already had trip planned to the city of second chances when Steve contacted her about a shoot. Steve is an experienced life model, and has modeled for art classes and groups for close to twenty years. Initially, Steve was unsure if Abigail would want to work, thinking her objective might be to work with first time models for the series. He loved the Bare Men concept, especially that the shoots occur in, and around the homes of the participants.
Abigail was on board, as she tries not to impose rules or boundaries on the models for Bare Men, their level of experience, comfort with nudity or how they wish to pose. Some of the best images come through just having a model interact naturally in a space they're comfortable in. Given Steve's fondness for nude hiking, Red Rock was suggested as the perfect location for the shoot.
'Abigail photographed me in a rocky area outside of Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the weather was conducive to hiking and the area was popular enough to present problems with what we were trying to achieve. I don't have a problem with being nude around others as I've mentioned. I imagine Abigail wouldn't either. But not everybody responds well to it. It was a shame to have to behave in a certain way out of the fear of upsetting those - and how they might subsequently react - to seeing me nude. In my experience it's a bigger problem in the US than other countries and cultures. I think the shots turned out very well. I still use a couple as references to schools and workshops looking for models. I would do it again for sure. I might pick a different location though so I can just relax and run with it.'
Despite some pesky hikers lurking about, Steve looks incredibly at home at Red Rock and you can almost the feel the heat from the sun cascading over Steve's naked body. I love how Abigail so beautifully captured Steve's physical and emotional location with the location. I was also in this case, struck by the contrasts. As much physical contact that Steve has with the rocks and sand, I also noticed and loved the visual of the non-contact between Steve's soft flesh and the sharp desert prickly cactus inches from his bare skin.
If any readers are interested in participating in the Bare Men series, or a private shoot with Abigail, you can get in contact on the Bare Men sight HERE: Due to it's nature and popularity, the series is ongoing, and Abigail is always looking for men interested in participating.
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