Confusion of the naked body is represented in Anne-Laure Etienne’s new photography series. ‘Body’ encompasses what the naked body can represent when it isn’t entirely obvious what the gender might be to the viewer. How Anne-Laure Etienne photographed her male model allowed for the viewer to at first glance and not recognize a gender. Instead there is only a focus on the backside of the nude body featured in different elements of nature. This idea takes away all the stereotypes and viewpoints that come with human nature once we realize what gender is being looked at. Etienne wanted to highlight this ambiguity by using the male figure that could also refer to how a female figure looks as well. There is a type of duality in the world when it comes to appearances that can be overlooked.
Though there tends to be opposition when it comes to the male and female figure, Anne-Laure Etienne is able to work with this opposition and eventually abolish the ideas on if the gender should matter or not. By placing the bodies in nature in the nude, it is bringing the viewer make to an earlier state when sexuality and gender didn’t hold as large of an impact on society.
To view more of her work, go to http://www.unspokenimage.com
Image credit: Anne-Laure Etienne
