The Metamorphosis of Matthew Barry

I met Mathew through pure serendipity in the Fall of 2014 and was immediately mesmerized and forever changed. They stepped in front of my lens for our first collaborative project entitled “The Morning After” shortly thereafter and have remained a constant in my personal life and work ever since. What began initially as an exploration of intimacy between two men, quickly evolved into something far more complex over time. In this portrait series, my romantic landscapes become an expression of the sublime and a vehicle to explore their gender identity. Self-actualization is explored in solitude and with others, throughout these highly stylized film stills. Carina's personal performance languages stepped in butoh and drag are central to the ever-evolving narrative. This ongoing series documents the real-life journey of Matthew becoming Carina Borealis. Carina is a genderqueer multi-disciplinary artist, living and thriving in Portland Oregon. Their gender expression is documented as it flows freely between both masculine, feminine, and androgynous states of expression throughout the images. Carinas personal voyage and complete liberation from the tired constructs of all gender norms has only just begun.