Expressions of Masculinity
Christopher Clery critiques broad expressions of masculinity through photography, video, silkscreen and collage, celebrating queer sensibility and the beauty found in the male form.
Coming out as gay opened my perception and understanding of masculinity, sexuality and gender. Using interactions and experiences with male behaviour in both straight and gay men, I critique the broad expressions of masculinity. Such aspects are the unrealistic displays of masculinity and the pressures to attain it.
The association between homosexuality and narcissism is addressed by casting sex between men as the very image of self-mirroring. The self-scrutiny and objectification the male body is subjected to is also explored, challenging the notion that illnesses such as body dysmorphia are only prevalent among women. My work also celebrates the beauty found in the male form and the expression of queer sensibility.
“Using imagery of paradise and pastoral settings to represent my own psyche, I construct these landscapes to express the sexual confidence I have found, and the effect aggressive masculinity has on me. “
This aggressiveness is expressed through imagery of monoliths that represent the destruction skewed ideas of masculinity can cause. I convey this through the guise of Greek mythology and antiquity. The use of bird motifs represents Fisherian Runaway in men. Fisherian Runaway is a sexual selection mechanism found in birds to account for the evolution of exaggerated male ornamentation by persistent female choice. This sexual mechanism is explored through visuals to express the performative habits of masculinity and how it influences male behaviour.
I am inspired by animals, nature, films, fashion, history, mythology and other artists. I studied printmaking and contemporary practice at Limerick School of Art and Design, where my course gave me this freedom to experiment with many different types of printmaking techniques, both traditional and digital. This is how I leant my interests in photography, video, silkscreen and collage. I try to combine as much of these techniques and mediums as I can when I am creating. For my graduate show I showcased four of my photographs. five 3D collages, a panoramic collage and a video piece. I took a balanced, mirroring approach to how I hung my work. The room was lit with spotlights attached to the ceiling to allow harsh shadows to be casted from the 3D collages. My video piece was displayed through a monitor attached to the wall and the audio of the video was played through a speaker that filled the room creating an atmosphere.
Christopher Clery
Instagram: @cotton_headed
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