Modeling for the Penis Portraits was a fun exercise in creativity. I wanted to maintain the framing and composition of the other drawings in the series, while still adding my own creative vision to the piece. So of course I had to have dramatic lighting with oblique shadows.
Working with Nick was a pleasure. The project is unique in that it combines the vulnerability of modeling nude, with the privacy and separation of digital communication. This mirrors the modern day trend of sending 'dick pics' but slows down every step of the process, expanding on this usually quick and mindless exchange. By having the model take a carefully composed nude portrait, knowing it will be sketched, drawn, and water-colored, and possibly ultimately sold and shipped to an unknown collector, Naber encourages us to grapple with the sheer amount of meaningless 'dick pics' circulating gay dating apps. His project finds new ways to create connections through digital communications by slowing down.