What exactly is it about nude photography that attracts so much controversy and gets the conservatives clutching their proverbial pearls and having their knickers all twisted up in a bunch?
"Nude images tend to be seen as smutty and pornographic in nature. People often frown at these images. Even til today, the conservative majority still feel that way, which is sad," offers self-taught Singaporean photographer Marcus Mok, who first dabbled in male nude photography in 2002 after realising the lack of artistically-handled male nude photography in publications. He was however, undeterred, and began carving out a niche in the area of Asian male nude photography.
But it was never Marcus' intent to shock or be controversial. In Marcus' works, full front nudity is not a common thread; rather the shots are mostly faceless as he feels that this, along with not showing genitalia heightens the sensual aspect and aesthetic form of the Asian male body.
Today, 10 years down the road, perhaps a sign of a maturing art scene and a slowly-but-surely liberating school of thought in Singapore, Marcus has published Liberate, his first book of sensuous male photographs, which is a collection of Marcus' favourite works from the last decade of his photography, and his works has since been snapped up by the Singapore Art Museum and the Kinsey Institute in USA.
Marcus is hopeful for more. "I believe that Singapore will be propelled into the forefront of art in the next 10 years. Hopefully by then, nude photography as a form of art will be as common as having chicken rice at the hawkers!"
It was 2001 when you first started out in male nude photography, and even in just a decade, Singapore has actually become much more liberal than it was a decade ago. Did you face a lot of difficulties when you first started out ten years ago? Do you think think these mindsets have changed, if any at all, in these ten years and how?
10 years ago, I shot my first male nude photograph in Hawaii. It was way too daunting doing it in Singapore as people were wary of having their pictures taken in the buff. There was no comparison to make with what was acceptable and what was not. And there certainly was a dearth of avenues available to showcase nude photography here in public.
As the arts scene in Singapore becomes more vibrant, both in the visual and performing arts, people’s mindsets have changed somewhat, but we still have to be careful what images to show and where these images appear.
Sometimes there is a very fine line between artistic nude photography and something that borders on tasteless. Where exactly is that line?
I for one feel that nude photography when tastefully done crosses into the art realm. It does not matter if frontal nudity is involved but how it was conceived and captured. Anything that comes across as pornographic at first glance tends to get negative feedback.
However, if that image is able to convey a message-which really is what art is all about, then it has successfully crossed over from smut to art. Having said that, people’s perceptions always differ because what is considered art is subjective. Unless we all see nude images with an open mind and a sense of curiosity about the artist’s self expression, then we tend to condemn those images.
There is indeed no lack of female nude photography. Why do you think the area of male nude photography has been mostly neglected?
I think most photographers steer clear of male nude photography for the following reasons:
1) a perceived lack of commercial or artistic value for such images
2) the inability to get male models to pose for them
3) they are uncomfortable shooting a male nude
4) they feel such images are taboo
5) they know there is a bigger market for female nudes
For all you know, male nude photography isn’t neglected. Rather, it has not been shown as much or at all due to the perception people have of the naked male body. Viewers can be quick to label male nude images as pornographic or even unnatural. The authority on arts could educate the general public on the finer aspects of artistic male nudes. If there were no negativity on male nude images, I am sure there will be artists coming forth to showcase their work of this genre.
Where and how do you find your subjects for nude photography? Were there any difficulties trying to convince them to pose nude?
I get them through a few ways.
1) friends, and friends of friends through word of mouth
2) people who attend my exhibitions
3) people who write to me after viewing my website
4) and more recently, through facebook.
When people see my work, they know my style and the type of images I’m capable of creating. I also meet with my models before doing a shoot and my easy going nature and professionalism probably leave a good impression and puts them at ease.
Have you posed nude for Liberate yourself?
Yes, I did a series of self portraits in a hotel room in Melbourne. It was a night shoot using just street lights cast through the window blinds. It’s very abstract and looks like a series of landscapes. Some people even thought it was a series of female nudes!
Where do you get the inspiration for your shoots from?
Everyday things I see while on the road or my travels-window displays, architecture and nature, and also the media like the internet, movies, TV and magazines. I often form an image in my head when I see something that strikes me. Oftentimes while laying in bed before I doze off I will conceptualise the shot in my mind.
Any interesting stories behind the pictures in Liberate you’d like to share with us?
One shot titled “Samson”, of a guy straddling huge metal cylinders, was shot in an industrial site in Sydney. Every 5 minutes or so, huge hoards of people would walk past when the trains arrived and he had to hide behind the cylinder with a sarong. It was quite harrowing to say the least.
Then there is “Release”, shot in Melbourne…an image of a guy lying precariously on the edge of a pier… a woman walking her dogs was approaching and when the model started covering himself with a towel, she just smiled and waved and said , Don’t worry!”
It is mentioned that Liberate is also the result of working in a mostly conservative but slowly liberating Singapore and it’s meant to be a subtle symbol of the universal desire to be free. What do you anticipate the response of the public to be like, and how do you think it’d evolve in the next 10 years?
So far the friends I have shown the pdf of the book to have commented that the images are beautiful and tastefully done. It incorporates the design & concept of award winning designer Jef Tan with quotes on freedom littered within the book-rare for a photobook of such a genre.
The Singapore Art Museum and the Kinsey Institute in USA have acquired my work into their art collections. I am really proud of this publication and I am hoping that people will see my photography with an open mind, as an art form and embrace it for its beauty.
I believe that Singapore will be propelled into the forefront of art in the next 10 years. Hopefully by then, nude photography as a form of art will be as common as having chicken rice at the hawkers!
What are some of your upcoming plans for work?
I have travel plans to promote my work and photobook in Europe, Australia and USA this and next year through exhibitions and booksignings.
I am also currently taking film-making classes and will eventually put that to good use to complement my photography, perhaps even combining the two in a future exhibition. I think it is a natural progression when I have been in photography for almost 15 years.
An exhibition of Marcus' works will be held from the 4th of June, 2011 till the 12th of June, 2011 at John Erdos Art, 6B Dempsey Road. The exhibition is free and is open daily from 10 am till 6 pm.
