TELL ME YOUR STORIES. I’M NOT AFRAID OF WHO YOU ARE. POOR IS THE MAN WHOSE PLEASURES DEPEND ON THE PERMISSION OF OTHERS. LOVE ME, THAT’S RIGHT. LOVE ME. I WANNA BE YOUR BABY. WANTING, NEEDING, WAITING, FOR YOU TO JUSTIFY MY LOVE – Madonna, 1990.
Sexual power is something that over the past decades has shifted from the intimacy of the bedroom to a more public place. Not in the least thanks to people like Madonna, who, through controversial ways, has opened the possibility to live in a society in which we can more freely express our sexuality and make it discussable.
Only 18 years ago Madonna released the song Justify My Love. It cause international controversy due to the accompanying video and became one of the first to be banned by MTV (and look at where hey are now). Still that didn’t stop the singer. On the contrary. She adopted the style of the song to her following album Erotica, and her book release SEX. The song Justify My Love has been covered and sampled by many other artist ever since, and has become a universal inspiration for the expression of sexual freedom.
Frank Louis is a photographer who always seems to surprise us. We know him from his beautiful intense window portraits [A Room With a View]. Photos of half naked men staring out of a window, or nourishing themselves in a ray of light, filtered through semi-transparent curtains. Recently we also brought you his series with ex-Broadway dancer Frantz G. Hall [Beautiful Thursday | Dancing In the Dark]. An experimental essay in which natural light has been replaced by a game of shadow and contrasts. And today we bring you Frank’s latest work, a series inspired by that very same song Justify My Love.
According to Frank Louis this series is his darkest work up till today. No romantic poses and dreamy looks. No natural sculptures. No. This series is all about sex. About that unstoppable urge to completely give yourself, let yourself go, loose control and be yourself as you never were before. Lust and sex is a power by itself and can give you a freedom you can not find in anything else. Looking at this wonderful work from Frank Louis, we wonder what he will bring us next. Yearning. Burning… -B-
Make-up: Steve B
Justify My Love was released on The Immaculate Collection, Madonna, 1990. Written by Madonna, Ingrid Chavez and Lenny Kravitz.
FRANK LOUIS | BEAUTIFUL
The models on this blog are getting more and more phony-looking. How about posting some guys who look REAL?
Posted by: CM | April 24, 2008 at 10:40 AM
You've had several works by Frank Louis on your blog in the past. I've admired his choice of models and use of light, shadow & context. This is definetly a departure from what we've seen. This collection tells a story. Before I knew who the photographer was, I was attracted by the darkness of it all . If it was intended to evoke a stirring in your most secret of desires (for some of us), Frank Louis has succeeded.
Posted by: BA | April 24, 2008 at 03:16 PM
HMMMMMMMMMMMm..let s see..models who look real?~actualy i am the guy who is on here and trust me..if you meet me..i couldnt be more REAL as I am ..thanks!
;-)))
Posted by: Norb P | April 25, 2008 at 02:51 AM
I concur with BA (i am one of the "some of us" ) an invitation ever true & honest. Frank chose well......Absolute
Posted by: RC | April 25, 2008 at 05:29 AM