Naked truth
Beautiful people bare body and soul for the lens of South Pasadena artist
By Jennifer Alfred 12/04/2008
With each generation it has become increasingly socially acceptable to show more and more skin in mainstream television programs, movies and magazines. Trends would suggest that the fewer clothes the subject of an erotic image wears, the hotter the picture is.
But those who see the photographs by South Pasadena artist Alexandra Gibson learn quickly that there is more to capturing passion on film than getting a beautiful woman to take her clothes off.
In a society inclined to turn sexual mystery into erotic overexposure, Gibson’s black-and-white photographs catch seemingly impromptu acts of passion, giving the viewer a window into the emotional aspects of sexuality as well as the physical. Rather than revealing the entire body in her images, Gibson keeps the eye wanting more by having her subjects pose in alluring ways, while allowing faces to express what’s happening in a scene.
On Saturday, Gibson will bare her artistic process for her viewers during a photographic exhibition and live-model erotic photo shoot at La Luz De Jesus Gallery in Los Feliz. She will also be signing copies of her new book, “From the Outside In,”
a compilation of the erotica she has created since 2005. Although Gibson has explored erotic photography for only a few years, she is not new to taking pictures, having shot for Rolling Stone, The New York Times and many other commercial publications. Her interest in erotica began when a female friend asked Gibson to snap a few nude pictures
of her.
Having dealt with anorexia and negative self-image issues for years, Gibson, 27, went in realizing that many women would feel uncomfortable baring it all. “For the first half hour I might sit down [with models] and talk without photographing them. It makes them feel more comfortable showing their bodies in front of a complete stranger.”
In September, Gibson allowed herself to be photographed nude for the first time, as part of a photo-essay series for The Advocate, a longstanding LGBT news and lifestyle magazine.
But Gibson also often takes photos of people who are completely at ease with their naked selves, including those involved in her live shoot on Saturday, which will employ seven to nine models on a set she has designed.
One of Gibson’s first live shoots happened earlier this year at 50/50 Grind, a specialty shoe store in Eagle Rock, and was a great success. At that event, Gibson was surprised by the strong public turnout and how excited people were — not just about the models, but also her images.
Although verbal and written descriptions of erotica sometimes makes it seem like the art form is really just a subset of soft-core pornography, the visual artistry reveals a much deeper look into human nature and sexuality.
“There is a huge difference between fine art erotica and porn,” said Gibson, whose photos are meant to invigorate all the senses. “Porn is more detached, and what I do is more emotional. I’m photographing people’s bodies, but their souls are coming through. The reason I like erotica is that no matter who you are, you’re vulnerable — you can really see who someone is.”
The Alexandra Gibson’s photographic exhibition, live erotic photo shoot and book signing takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, inside the Wacko Soap Plant store, at 4633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz. For more information call (323) 666-7667 or visit laluzdejesus.com.
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