As defined by Judith Roof in the Encyclopedia of Sex and Gender, erotic photography “consists of images produced with a photographic camera that inspire sexual feelings.” However, definitions aside, it’s not that simple; erotic photography is a style that has been historically marked with contentious and ever-shifting boundaries. Artists have long debated “art” vs. “porn,” […]
Category: Black & White
Hyperrealistic Paintings of Fragmented Faces by Ben Howe
Ben Howe is an Australian artist (born in London) who paints hyperrealistic depictions of sliced and crumbling faces. His series “Surface,” featured here, explores in mind-bending detail the “density, flexibility, and texture of human flesh.” In some cases, the texture of stone is replicated, giving the images and their clean compositions a statue-like appearance. Recurring […]
Women in Nature: Tattoos by Bru Simões
Wilderness inspires Bru Simões, an artist and self-proclaimed “gypsy tattooer” in Brazil. “I have this strong connection with the physical world,” she says. “We all do, especially women. Women are guided by the moon, and have the same cycle as the flowers.” Her new “Women In Nature” series is a passionate tribute to the rhythms […]
Casting Tattoos From Plant Shadows With Tedd Hucks
“I love giving praise to the overlooked life forms that ask for nothing,” he tells me. “The plants are never picked or cut; they are left to grow, one of my personal rules.” Botanical silhouette tattoos are the focus of Tedd Hucks’ newest art series. In the hours before day turns to dusk, he snaps […]
Mysteries and Dark Dreams: Photography by Nona Limmen
Nona Limmen is a Dutch photographer who is always in pursuit of beauty and mystery. She composes dark portraits of “dreams, fantasies, and memories,” spinning these intangible experiences together with subtle threads of paganism, Norse mythology, and canonical literature. Ghostly queens and horned priestesses wearing flowing robes stand alone in fields and forests, looking fearless […]
The Untamed: Woodsy, Witchy Photography by Amanda Bullick
Amanda Bullick is a Vancouver-based photographer, jewelry designer, and visual artist whose work centers around the “brutally beautiful”; bones, witches, magic, and the forest converge in a spectral aesthetic that contemplates the cycles of life, death, and rebirth. Her photographs seek to reclaim “the witch,” who is a female figure with dark implications in the […]
The Aesthetics of Horror: 10 Visually Striking Nightmare Movies
Horror is one of the most—if not the most—popular movie genre the medium has ever known. Iconic villains such as Freddy Krueger, Leatherface or Jason Voorhees murdering their way through a high body count of luckless victims has ensured the genre has stayed largely in the mainstream, but the history of horror cinema is full […]
Dark Paranormal Femininity: Photography by Nynewe
Nynewe (Michaela Knizova) is a photographer based in Luxembourg who creates ghostly self-portraits capturing what she identifies as “dark paranormal femininity.” In a multi-part series titled “Agast Atera En,” Nynewe documented her travels around Europe using creative portraiture. Posing her body in dark rural landscapes, she acts out original hybrid mythologies, drawing on archetypes and […]
Dark Magic in Hogan McLaughlin’s Fashion and Illustrations
Hogan McLaughlin is an American dancer, fashion designer, and artist whose work is influenced by medieval imagery and the fantasy genre. For his spring 2016 collection, McLaughlin collaborated with the New England-based artist Bill Crisafi to create the series of images featured here. Entitled “Upon the Heath of Bedlam,” they are shot in Salem, Massachusetts. […]
Modernity and Dehumanization: Collages by Joe Castro
Joe Castro is a Philadelphia-based musician and multidisciplinary artist who creates bold, symbol-filled collages using materials sourced from vintage magazines and other printed ephemera, which he finds at flea markets and yard sales. By enmeshing the human body with animals and technology, his work explores dualism while also critiquing the effect of modernization on humanity. […]