The Male Nude in Contemporary Photography


Book Description

While nude women are a staple of commercial and art photography, the photographed male nude is often the target of censorship but seldom the subject of serious critical discussion. This is the first study to examine the unique interrelation between social perceptions of the nude and the medium of photography. Melody Davis focuses on the work of six artists whose photography confronts societal prohibitions. In order to understand the taboo and silence which surrounds this subject, she addresses the many social and cultural fears that inhibit the presentation and discussion of photographed male nudity. Because she deals with distinctions between the nude and the naked, the interrelational and the pornographic, the book has close connections with current debates about the impact of images and the limits of public tolerance of images of "deviance." Through the photographs of Robert Mapplethorpe, Lucas Samaras, John Coplans, George Dureau, Joel-Peter Witkin, and a film by Dusan Makavejev, the author examines how the action ideal for the male body is challenged by an artistic medium in which man becomes the spectacle, not the spectator. By presenting three of photography's genres—self-portraiture, portraits of others, and allegorical nudes—Davis is able to reveal the critical and theoretical issues which shape our understanding of photographed nudity, and, by extension, representations of gender. Author note:Melody D. Davisis an independent writer and photographer who has taught in the Fine Arts Departments of Montclair State College and State University of New York at Stony Brook.




The Male Body


Book Description

Poets, anthropologists, philosophers, artists, sociologists, and others provide perspectives on the male body.




Visions


Book Description

Bruno Gmðnder celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, a cause for celebration. And to celebrate they have compiled this gorgeous collection filled with highlights of contemporary men's photography. Over 50 photographers present their best works. From tough to tender, elegant to raw, in colour and b/w - with a wide variety of men sure to tickle any fancy. This magnificent work is an absolute must for everybody's coffee table.




Male Nude Now


Book Description

As images of men's bodies have proliferated in pop culture and advertising during the past decade, many artists and photographers have taken up the male nude as a primary subject. Recent work has sparked controversy as well as praise for its shocking frankness, and the line between art and pornography has become increasingly difficult to define. New digital technologies have brought about new ways of representing the body, and we are now faced with a multiplicity of eroticisms, previously unexplored channels of desire, and more inclusive and varied body ideals. "Male Nudes Now "offers an essential guide through this new territory with more than 240 fresh and provocative images. Featuring contemporary work, mostly unpublished, this important sourcebook showcases a dynamic mix of visionaries, from established masters to breakthrough newcomers. Feature Artists Include Lyle Ashton Harris Marc Baptiste Clive Barker Cecily Brown Chuck Close John Dugdale Todd Eberle Eric Fischl Nan Goldin Greg Gorman David Hockney Patrick McMullan Duane Michals Pierre et Gilles Jack Pierson Rankin Terry Richardson Michael Roberts Stewart Shining Wolfgang Tillmans George Tooker Ellen von Unwerth




Champion


Book Description

The first book of images from champion Studios, famous for quality color images of handsome, athletic young men from the late 1950's and early '60's. These 345 photographs of scantily clad athletes--packed with amusing props, costumes, and bulging posing pouches--are notable not only for the commercial success they enjoyed during their heyday, but also for their enduring creativity and imagination. Whether measured in terms of his prolific output, sales, his early and sophisticated use of customer mailing lists, or his impact upon the U.S. censorship laws of his time, Kundzicz and his work left an indelible imprint on male physique photography. Today, nearly half a century later, Kundzicz's work and his most popular models continue to have their ardent fans.




The Male Nude.


Book Description

De l'image interdite à l'art : l'ouvrage de référence sur l'histoire de la photographie du nu masculin.




Bare Men


Book Description

"Bare Men" portrays the male nude as a human and a work of art, not simply a utilitarian device. It celebrates men who are comfortable in their skin, relaxed, powerful, erect, vulnerable. The images share moments of joy, the power of release, physical angst and ease of masculinity. "Bare Men" offers glimpses into their private moments. The viewer is privy to two relationships: the man and the photographer and the man and himself while in some instances is invited to join in.




The Homoerotic Photograph


Book Description

Gathered here are 127 beautiful and provocative duotone photographs that reflect the wide-ranging history of male homoeroticism as revealed by the camera--amply suggesting spiritual, physical, and intellectual exchange between men. To accompany these images, Ellenzweig offers a detailed account of the multiple and complex meanings of the homoerotic, from the 1850s to today.




Naked Men


Book Description

This extraordinary book documents a fascinating moment in the history of American culture - a period in the 1930s, '40s and '50s that give birth to a new notion of male beauty and desire, and to a new type of male icon. Long before Stonewall and the gay pride movement, a small group of daring men - photographers and the models who sat for them - helped pave the way for male sexual liberation. Led by the photographer George Platt Lynes and featuring men such as Jean Marais, Yul Brynner, Paul Cadmus and Tennessee Williams, this group of men - straight as well as gay - shattered taboos surrounding the artistic representations of the male figure. Their ground-breaking work remains as relevant and evocative today as it did half a century ago and its influence can be seen in the work of modern masters such as Bruce Weber, Herb Ritts and Robert Mapplethorpe.




The Male Nude


Book Description

Numerous photographers of note have devoted a substantial share of their creative effort to the theme of the male nude. Indeed, many of them have made a name for themselves with nude photography. Peter Weiermair, Director of the Frankfurter Kunstverein, has arrived at an excellent and thoroughly expert selection. The result is a genuine anthology of male nude photography. It is at once a document of photographic history and a book that is sure to appeal to everyone interested in photography and art.