Amy Elkins’ ‘Photographs of Contemporary Masculinity’ at OCC Shows the New Male Gaze

By Amy Elkins

If you listen to Canadian smart-guy-lots-of-people-despise Jordan Peterson, we are facing a crisis of masculinity in this country. But, beaten down by feminazis, identity politics and even a kinder, gentler NFL, a testosterone-fueled wave of manliness is cresting in opposition, led, of course, by that mighty my-button-is-Yuge phoenix rising from the ashes of male emasculation and suffering.

That is not the takeaway from “Photographs of Contemporary Masculinity,” a wide-ranging survey of Los Angeles-based photographer Amy Elkins’ work. In fact, one of the more remarkable aspects of this engrossing exhibition, the second Tyler Stallings-curated show in his tenure at Orange Coast College (OCC), is that the one photo that suggests more masculine-ascribed traits such as competition and arrogance is that of a 12-year-old Danish ballet student. But it isn’t compensating attitude that’s etched upon his porcelain-doll-like facial features, but rather, it is unrestrained ferocity and commitment to his craft, something any kid in his sixth year of training at the Royal Danish Ballet no doubt needs.

The rest of the portraits, which fill about half the gallery space, are as varied as the subjects pictured—from Ivy League rugby players to cisgender and transgender male-identifying subjects—and convey things not typically associated with the fuck-or-fight syndrome: vulnerability, introspection, emotions other than anger. Hell, more than a few times, Elkins captures her masculine subjects projecting that most feminine and ineffable of qualities, mystery.

That notion of masculine vulnerability infuses every one of the portraits drawn from four of the six series on display. The first is Wallflower, which Elkins worked on from 2006 to 2008 (joined by Wallflower II, which she began in 2016 with men in Atlanta and rural Georgia) while studying in New York City. Her cisgender male-identifying subjects were shot in Elkins’ bedroom, with colorful fabric and wallpaper as background. The feminine touch helped her achieve what she set out to do in the first place: explore the idea of “masculine vulnerability [which] is not necessarily looked at or celebrated,” Elkins told an art class of OCC students last week. “The quiet nuances, the beauty, rather than the macho,” tough-guy aura. Working with a female photographer in a feminine setting seemed to strip from them any sense of macho pretense. Some seem haunted, others serene, none seem particularly happy, but whatever they project, it is all through the eyes, the male gaze for once not fixed upon woman as object, but rather upon their own subjective nature.

By Amy Elkins

The grace and elegance of ballet, as well as its young subjects, a discipline more commonly associated with women, as shown in her 2012 Danseur series is juxtaposed with selections from Elegant Violence, her 2008 series on rugby, as violent a sport imaginable. There’s a vivid contrast, as well as an undeniable connection. Whether prim and proper dancers or bruised and bloody rugby players, a fire seems to burn in all of them, though it’s more the focused flame of a welder than a raging wildfire.

The final two series are markedly different—and show off not only Elkins’ extensive artistic range, but also her compassion. The portraits that are part of Black Is the Day, Black Is the Night and The Golden State have been digitally augmented. The first features computer-tweaked images of landscapes and portraits of men serving life and death-row sentences. But through rendering their portraits and the images of places they told Elkins they would never see again into something vague and indecipherable (the portraits are digitally distorted based on the ratio of how much time the men had spent in prison, so the longer, the hazier), she somehow humanizes them. Seeing these elusive, immaterial images of real people living life in prison is powerful, the visual significators reminding us that just as memory cannot sustain itself when it is pulled from place and time, even a person’s self gradually evaporates when isolated for so long.

By Amy Elkins

Golden State is a large section of a much more massive project, in which Elkins separated the 746 men and women on California’s death row by last name. She laid each prisoner’s portrait atop another, in effect creating a new person from the composite. What is eerie is that whether the last letter is A, which 80 inmates shared, or a less common letter, when layered together, the 12 faces that comprise this wall mural resemble—big surprise—people of color.

Like the rest of Elkins’ work, the piece speaks very clearly about contemporary masculinity in the context of gender, athletics and incarceration, without sounding noisy or loud or brash. As you stare into the eyes of her portraits and feel the flickering insubstantiality of a life dwindling toward nothingness in prison, it’s easy to realize that her subjects aren’t the only ones contemplating themselves and their place in this world.

Photographs of Contemporary Masculinity” at Orange Coast College’s Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion, 2701 Fairview Rd., Costa Mesa, (714) 432-5738; www.orangecoastcollege.edu. Open Mon.-Wed., 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurs., 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., noon-4 p.m. Through Dec. 1. Free. For more info about Amy Elkins, visit amyelkins.com.

5 Replies to “Amy Elkins’ ‘Photographs of Contemporary Masculinity’ at OCC Shows the New Male Gaze”

  1. Wow, incredible blog structure! How lengthy have
    you ever been running a blog for? you made running a blog glance easy.
    The total look of your site is fantastic, let alone the content material!
    You can see similar: ecommerce and here sklep internetowy

  2. I do not know if it’s just me or if everybody else encountering
    issues with your website. It seems like some of the text on your content are running off the
    screen. Can someone else please comment and let me know if
    this is happening to them too? This may be a problem with my
    web browser because I’ve had this happen previously. Appreciate it
    I saw similar here: sklep online and also here: sklep
    internetowy

  3. One vital point to bear in mind is that Chinese females are looking for a companion that can provide them with financial safety. Even that Chinese bride-to-bes are really self-assured and accomplish excellent success in their occupation as well as education and learning; these charms are searching for a male that will like them as well as offer them a lot of protection. The reasons for Chinese new brides to seek love abroad can be varied. If you are brand-new to the website or intend to day warm Ukrainian ladies or stunning Russian ladies, this post can assist you greatly an make you soon grasp online dating. 6. When it gets to such subjects as politics or some debatable issues, ladies from China are extremely touchy. Chinese girls for marriage hire professional photographers to design individual web pages, so the high quality of photos goes to a high degree. That is why most of them are prepared for sexual call just before marital relationship. Are you seeking a smart Chinese woman for marital relationship? A Korean individual that is also Christian will likely be searching for someone that has the very same worths.

    For beginners, chnlove review someone who transferred to America in their adult years will certainly have had really different experiences from an American-born Eastern. Are you seeking somebody that is even more liberal or conventional? When looking for a partner, solitary guys do rarely question just how to discover an abundant wife. The sleeve tattoos are increasingly getting fame amongst men nowadays and also is probably due to the intensifying variety of personalities acquiring this sort of body art. On the other hand, the weather in the northwest of China is typically dry, making it feasible to locate cut-paper art made in the Northern dynasties in Turpan, Sinkiang district. This funerary art was buried with the emperor as well as the 8,000 warriors are intended to protect the emperor in his afterlife. As an example, as the Emperor Daizong of Flavor replaced the period name Yongtai (永泰; lit. For instance, allow’s say you’re fulfilling he or she’s household. For example, in China it is thought about disrespectful and passionless if you enable your moms and dads to reside in a retirement community. Make a great impression by familiarizing on your own with any type of traditions and manners details to your companion’s residence country. Every country has the liberty to follow its independent international policy, as well as this has actually been shown in the connection of China and Pakistan.

    Lin Man-houng (2006) China upside-down: currency, society and beliefs. The China Journal. Vol. Vol. 30, no. 4. China Leadership Display. Vol. 32, no. 9. China Management Monitor. Vol. 56, no. 3. Central Intelligence Agency. Journal of the American Knowledge Professional. Likewise lost were the carriers Taiho as well as Shokaku, sunk by American submarines Albacore and also Cavalla. This is a global guideline, of course, but Asians genuinely value and respect their family members’s point of views and also if you do not make the cut with the family, after that you might find on your own being shown the door quicker instead of later on. You do not want to remain in a dedicated relationship only to then realize that your household worths entirely clash and you neither desire nor anticipate the same things. While this attitude has gradually been changing to suit the transforming society, it is still extremely much a part of the family members values system. Outlanders ought to think about some vital elements while having a love with among Chinese ladies. Two choices are available: you can satisfy Chinese women online or offline. This is a website where you can market to deal things.

    The number of awful ’90s autos can you recognize? Mahoney, Josef Gregory; Yi, Jiexiong; Li, Xiuling (April 2009). “A Marxist Viewpoint on Chinese Reforms: Interview with Jiexiong”. Li, Cheng (19 November 2009). “Intra-Party Democracy in China: Should We Take It Seriously?”. Miller, H. Lyman (19 November 2009). “Hu Jintao as well as the Celebration Politburo” (PDF). Across the board, household is constantly an incredibly essential variable for Asians, whether they are Chinese, Korean, Malaysian, or Vietnamese. Fowler’s findings are yet one more instance of careless database-security practices possibly impacting unsuspecting victims. From family values to cultural norms and also expectations, in Eastern dating there are a number of points you’ll intend to take into account prior to delving into a connection. Confidence and religious beliefs are various other points that you should go over as you get to know each various other. Beyond that, you may ultimately desire to discuss things such as looking after senior moms and dads. Make certain the website is not right into dubious service; or else, you might land on your own in problem. While there might be some similarities or overlap, every nation likewise has really culturally-specific values and practices. Did you recognize that in Chinese society, shaking hands is commonly approved while in Japanese as well as korean societies, bowing is the conventional greeting.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *