THE ASIAN MALE PROJECT STARTED INITIALLY AS A PERSONAL INTEREST, A SIMPLE DESIRE TO PHOTOGRAPH FRIENDS OF MINE FROM AN ARTISTIC VIEW. MY INFLUENCES WERE BASED ON A NUMBER OF THINGS, INCLUDING PHOTOGRAPHER HERB RITTS, MY CANADIAN UPBRINGING ON THE SASKATCHEWAN PRAIRIES, MY ARCHITECTURAL TRAINING, AND MY QUEST FOR BEAUTY IN THE HUMAN BODY AND FACE. WHAT I HAVE HERE IN THIS COLLECTION OF IMAGES ARE PHOTOGRAPHS OF FRIENDS, TAKEN WITH INTENTION, PASSION, AND LOVE. AS AN ARTIST, I AM ALWAYS STRUGGLING TO ACHIEVE A PERCEIVED PERFECTION, AN IDEALIZED IMAGE THAT MAY NOT BE THE TRUTH, BUT ONLY A PARTIAL TRUTH. A CAMERA CAN ONLY VIEW FROM ONE ANGLE, FROM ONE VANTAGE POINT. HENCE, SOME MODELS HAVE A 'GOOD SIDE'. AS A PHOTOGRAPHER, I AM SEEKING FOR THAT GOOD SIDE IN THE MOST TRUTHFUL WAY, FROM MY OWN SET OF AESTHETICS.
I OWE SO MUCH TO THE MODELS THAT HAVE ALLOWED ME TO WORK WITH THEM, TO SHARE IN THE EXPERIENCE, AND TO ENTRUST ME WITH PHYSICAL BODIES TO BE PHOTOGRAPHED NUDE. IN HONG KONG, AND FOR MOST OF ASIA, THE UNADORNED BODY IS SEEN SIMPLY AS PORNOGRAPHY. AND ONLY RECENTLY, HAS THERE BEEN A MORE NORMALIZED ACCEPTANCE OF MALE BEAUTY. THE COSMETIC COMPANIES AND INFLUX OF GYMNASIUMS ATTEST TO THAT. NEVERTHELESS, I THANK THOSE FIRST FEW MODELS WHO BELIEVED IN ME IN ALLOWING ME TO PHOTOGRAPH THEM.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE IMAGES THAT YOU SEE HERE. SOME IMAGES WERE CREATED LONG AGO ON A HORRIBLE MONITOR USING PHOTO EDITING TECHNIQUES MEANT FOR A PRE-SCHOOLER. I WON'T GO AND REVISE THEM, AS IT WILL SHOW MY PROGRESSION (AS OPPOSED TO 'PROGRESS') INTO MY YEARS.
THERE IS MORE TO COME...
