Tension
Why are we bound to things we cannot explain? How are we tied to those around us in inexplicable ways and how can we lean to embrace our deepest desires?
Tension was shot on 35mm film in 2024 and developed using traditional darkroom colour processes. The series explores the Japanese art of shibari in a stylised form, where hyper-masculinity is contrasted with femininity. The presence of florals references gay culture, with each flower symbolising elements of queer literature and coded language. Influences include Robert Mapplethorpe, Oscar Wilde, and works such as Bara Kei (Killed by Roses) by Yukio Mishima. This blend of cultures, artists and codes offer a reflective lens through which themes of masculinity, desire and identity are explored.