[suit.a.ble] Suit Yourself
In this luxurious and provocative mise-en-scène, the viewer is transported into the deeply personal realm where the exotic imagination intersects with the intimate nuances of platonic friendship. We find ourselves transported to an altar of masculine energy, with appointments adorned with the opulence of neo-Turcophile aesthetics, while two confident male figures silently speak to the fusion of comfort and leisure as they engage in a playful yet introspective comedic melodrama.
We as the viewers are immediately struck with the disconcerting sense that we have interrupted a beautiful moment that may never again be repeated. The respective and simultaneous gazes of the two figures exude acknowledgement, mischievous concern, joy and resignation, recognizing the presence and awaiting the judgement of the viewer. One espouses a contemplative posture with an air of serene contentment; his expression is one of quiet introspection, and his thoughts wandering amidst his vulnerable predicament. The second, more enigmatic figure takes the active role, the epitome of mischievous instigator—in reality an agent provocateur—with a look that dares timely castigation. The illuminated niches in the background house silent guardians of the divine feminine, embodiments of grace and poise. Taken together, the modified yogic pose is unmistakable in representing Hatha itself: interrogating the hidden meanings of confident masculinity, touch, play, and inner psyche in the wisdom within this whimsical wheelbarrow.
The positions of the figures are testament to their shared camaraderie and the depths of male friendship. The juxtaposition of playful abandon and tranquil introspection is a call to examine our own relationships with pleasure, human interaction, and toxic social norms. It is through the quiet strength and masculine confidence of the two figures that exposes the complexities of the male experience and its connection to mysterious sumptuous sensations. Viewers may revel in the sensory extravagance of the scene, where the private and exogenous, the ordinary and the extraordinary all converge in a harmonious dance, creating a visual symphony that resonates with the echoes of both the familiar and the enigmatic.
Thanks to Cam Whitehead for the very suitable writing
This photograph is one of 10 images produced for the [suit.a.ble] photo exhibition on March 2nd. If you would like to read about the exhibition itself CLICK HERE