Grapple

This body of work is about the performance of masculinity. The portraits address comparison, expectation, achievement, and beauty as they pertain to contemporary, western men. The portraits were made of collegiate wrestlers after their practice. Using the walls of the wrestling room as the backdrop, the images were made slowly, as is necessary when using a large format (4x5) camera. I asked the men to remove their shirts and to maintain a passive expression on their faces. In doing so, the wrestlers show a vulnerability while simultaneously showing their strength. The work subverts expectations about the portrayal of male athletes that compete in sports as physical as wrestling.