Homme Libre: Carla Borel’s exhibition explores strength + vulnerability
//© Carla Borel 2017//
The striking and intimate portraits are of men Borel is either close friends with, or met randomly. Straight, gay, trans, from various professions and backgrounds, the sitters in Homme Libre have an edge of some sort, be it in their stance and attitude, an air of mystery and romance, their strength and vulnerability, or they have reminded Borel of someone she once knew or saw in a film. The series explores ideas of masculinity seen from a female perspective, examining themes of intimacy and identity.
From the notes for Homme Libre
I am among the subjects of photographer Carla Borel’s exhibition Homme Libre, which opens next month at London’s A22 Gallery.
//Sol © Carla Borel 2017//
In undertaking the project, Borel imposed on herself a set of strictures. Each portrait was taken with one roll of 24-exposure Fomaplan film in the street outside her east London studio.
//James Jeanette © Carla Borel 2017//
She also asked that each of us wore the same white T-shirt; this shows a drawing of a sailor with a quote from Charles Baudelaire: ‘Homme libre, toujours tu cheriras la mer (Free man, always you will cherish the sea).
//Khas © Carla Borel 2017//
Homme Libre opens on November 16 and runs for 10 days. More details are on Borel’s site here.