Ladies and gentleman, we are already miracles. The fact that we were even born is a miracle. Our poppa’s sperm was strong. The strongest of them all. Strong enough to swim through the sea of love to penetrate the golden egg. We are already miracles and we were born to shine. Our ancestors didn’t go through it all for us to fall back now. We must go forth. Shine like you’re supposed to and let them know you’re a superstar…
A couple years ago I was in a bar when a woman told me most women look for three traits in men. Those being personality, looks and money. “You only really need to have one of those to get by.” She said, “But the more you’ve got the better off you’ll be.” I questioned the validity of her statement at the time, but still took her words to heart. Surely these three elements don’t define the desires of all women, but they’re interesting to highlight nonetheless. But I’m interested to know. What part of a man does it for you?
I think some of the coolest art comes directly from personal experience. Maybe all art comes from personal experience in some measure, but I’ll leave the philosophical questions for another day. More often than not, Australian photographer Jackson Eaton‘s small collections of photography feature scenes that include his girlfriend and himself, catching them on different adventures in scenic spots. Kind of a dope concept: making your real life and the people closest to you the subject of your work. I’m inspired. Happy Friday.
I’ll admit, I’m a little biased on this one. Get yourself a quality camera and start snapping sexy shots of pretty girls, and you’ve got a pretty decent shot of popping up on my radar. With that said, Alex Mejia is particularly good at what he does, catching beautiful women in their element, with a spontaneous feel to his work. It doesn’t hurt that these girls are particularly gorgeous either. Based out of Bogota, Colombia, Mejia’s resume includes commercial work for various brands and magazines. Check here for the full portfolio, and below for some highlights.
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Download: Deep Throat Anthology – “La La La”
I like boobs and I like butts, so when Asger Carlsen created these images for S. Magazine I couldn’t help but appreciate. Boobs and butts are so interesting to me though. I feel like there’s a few social paradoxes in relation to these body parts that I still don’t quite understand. For example, it seems like boobies are more than acceptable to be showcased in public, but the nipple is actually the threshold that is not be crossed, because there are some true cleavage busters in Los Angeles county that’ll walk out of the house showing everything but the nip, and then get mad at you for staring. And on another note, aren’t bathing suits essentially water proof bra’s and panties? And even though they are, you can’t just roll to the beach in a bra and panties, because that’s “unacceptable”. Societies funny like that. What do you think?
Jonathan Yeo‘s latest project is sure to raise some eyebrows. Porn in the USA is a collection of collage mosaics, constructed using only images from pornography (look close). By reconstructing some of pop culture’s most iconic characters using graphic, sexual images, Yeo seems to play off their familiarity, turning their likeness into something subversive and shocking. Without reading too far into his work, I think he provokes an interesting point. Sexuality and pornography are ingrained in our culture and American society. And as much as the myth of American wholesomeness gets projected, I think we all know what’s really going on beneath the surface. Just a thought. Catch Porn in the USA at Lazarides LA from now until August 8th.
I’ve heard it said that with sexualized imagery, there’s a thin line between fine art and objectification. I’d counter that by saying that sometimes they actually go hand in hand (T-Rich anybody?). Either way you look at it, Andrew Quesada is a talented dude, who knows how to capture sex appeal. Specializing in, but not limiting himself to portraits of bad ones, Long Beach-based Quesada has a diverse portfolio that speaks for itself, and a style that’s direct and authentic. Check below for more, or here for his full catalog.
The photography of Greg Williams continues to impress me. We’ve showed you his work before, and now he’s back on the scene. Maybe it’s just my bias. I’m not one to argue against pretty girls showing their boobies. But the double standard’s so crucial, and it’s oh so real. We’ve known for a while that sex sells, and this is no different. I applaud this cover, and its contents within for its simple aesthetic and vibrant imagery. A welcome departure from the Cosmos of the world. Nonetheless, the double standard persists, and sex continues to sell. But I wonder if this trend will ever end. What do you think? Would you consider this “high art” or petty objectification?
Why ask somebody else, if you can do it yourself? I’m all for teamwork, but in Yulia’s case, it looks like going solo is the right move. Gorodinski is an Israeli photographer, whose portfolio is made up almost exclusively by self-portraits, setting herself against a canvas of natural scenery. How she sets these up, I couldn’t tell you, but the work speaks for itself. Gorodinski’s photography is sexy and visually arresting, putting her body front and center. Check out the full portfolio here.
A couple weeks ago Reed hit me up telling me how surprisingly easy it was for him to get tested for AIDS at Out of the Closet. Not a fan of needles, he had been reluctant to get tested for a while, just because he wasn’t trying to fuck with the needles. Needless to say, Reed was pleasantly surprised by the ease and harmlessness of the procedure. Suggesting I throw up a few words about the process, I told him I needed to check it out for myself before I spoke on it.
“Canadian artist Gordon Ball was born in Montreal, Quebec. He began taking photos of his friends skateboarding, doing drugs, playing in hardcore bands, making out, and skinny dipping in 1994. Today, nothing much has changed”. So reads the artist statement on Ball’s website. While that definitely seems to be the case, it should be noted that Gordon is amazing at what he does. Visually speaking, work boasts vivid color and thoughtful composition. More importantly though, his photography has raw, human touch to it, turning debauchery and fun into something poetic. Pretty inspired, if you ask me.
Ladies and gentleman, I’ve come to a stark realization at 3:26PM. Today, I’ve realized that text messages are played out. They’re boring. They’re impersonal. They’re generic. Anyone can push some buttons with their thumbs. But who can show you the world through their eyes? It’s a little more work, but if you mean it then it’s worth it. It’s as simple as that. We all send and receive boring ass text messages everyday, me included. The “What you doing tonight,” the “What’s Good,” and the infamous two letter, “OK” response. This technology is great and all but let’s not forget that we’re humans. We’ve got emotions to share and love to give. So let me raise the bar one time. Get with the picture message. It’s ten times flyer, and the girls will like it more.
Some artists show you beautiful things, and others show you things that are truly ugly. Some take you places you never want to leave, and others show you places you wish you never saw. Before his tragic and untimely passing via heroin overdose last year, Dash Snow could do all of the above, sometimes all in the same image. After running away from home at 13, Dash started his photography career to document places he saw, that he might not remember in the morning. Running the gamut anywhere from hilarious to outta pocket to downright nasty, his work is some of the most inspiring art I can remember seeing. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.
