Nocturnes:

On occasion when explaining, or at least attempting to, the genesis for my body of work and it’s aesthetic I’ve mumbled something about being like Emily Dickenson with a camera. For over a decade I shot work and filed it away never to be seen completely by choice. I was far too focused on my career as a filmmaker and director than to shift back into my foundation level mindset as a visual artist. In the dark recesses of my brain, twitching in its neuropathways however was always the ever-growing body of work. The shutter was like a sword through a hydra’s neck. More and more it became clear to though around me that I had to show some of these works. So I slowly began to share work. Encouragement from the likes of Holly Andres and Bruce La Bruce helped certainly and I owe them both (among others) many thanks.
Mixing erotica, surrealism, and horror seemed only natural as the last great taboo in contemporary art seems to be the male nude, the once heralded subject of classical sculpture. My own aesthetic is something of a half remembered dream, evocative hopefully more than provocative. I strive to represent the forms not to shock the viewer but simply as a part of the tableaux. The aesthetic has been called “existential dread with hard-ons” and for my film work the press branded me “An Art Porn Auteur”, which while catchy is not all-encompassing. Certainly sexual expression is a part of my subject matter but I also am exploring themes of origin, personal mythology, fear, shame and the darkness we sometimes choose to ignore within ourselves. As an artist from a culturally mixed heritage (Hebrew and Inuit) storytelling is a key element to whatever project I engage in. Trying to connect the threads of disparate histories into a new narrative, however surreal it comes filtered through. The photos collected here represent fragments of stories still unfolding and hopefully will ask the viewer to fill in the gaps themselves.
Nocturnes represents a bit of cherry picking, images culled from 2010-2013 from a variety of series from my recent catalog. Some were shot in tandem with accompanying video art installations such as the images from the Transformation series as well as Veiled [which came with the creation of the film I am Not Myself Today (2010)], others were strictly photo works such as Jeremy [from the Basement Series] Mythical Beasts/Domesticated Animals began their life on off days while shooting a feature film Spark across Europe.

See more of this sexy Mister (model Dave) after the jump.

Mister is about the place in between adolescent desire and actuality. It is the place where fear, and desire originate, it represents the lens through which adolescent attraction views the outside world. For me it is an examination of the unrequited desire for the affection of older men as an adolescent. Wanting to be them, be with them and ultimately the fear of what that meant. The film was crafted as a loop of stop-motion/still-photography . Mister features Portland ,OR bar owner Woody Clarke as the model. Woody owns the excellent CRUSH.

                                                                "Mister 06"              ©2010



One of my personal favorite shots from my recent MISTER shoot.

                                                          "Mister 05"               ©2010


Another shot from my recent  shoot with Crush owner Woody Clarke.  Excellent Model dramatic simple lighting, off the cuff shooting- my kind of work night.

                                                      "Woody"       ©2010



More from the Mister series. Woody Clarke, owner of my favorite watering hole Crush, recently posed for this sexy and evocative set. Look forward o working with him again in the future.


                                                                 "After Hours"                 ©2010


After the soft glow of the Motel series and the above shot "Woody" I decided to return to the dramatic lighting and dark curves of my previous work.

                                                          "Mister  01"                 ©2010


I had the pleasure of shooting Woody, the owner of CRUSH my favorite bar in Portland, OR for a very sexy new series entitled Mister.  More to come soon-enjoy the sneak peek.  Mister is looking fine-trust me!