Nudes: Peter Arnold and Spiros Politis (UK) and Emy Kat (France) Detail the Body’s Vulnerability

Graphis is proud to present these photographers as the focus of this week’s nudes spotlight

The body exists in a dichotomous plane. It is both celebrated and yet vilified, loved and yet reviled, sung of and yet whispered about. It’s a confusing paradigm, one that differs from country to country and continent to continent. From the upper echelons of art to the lower bowels of censorship, the human body is a seeming societal oxymoron. But that seldom is the case for these inspiring photographers from Western Europe.

Peter Arnold‘s Nude 11 (ABOVE) revels in the natural contours of the body, constructing a monochromatic image that details the alternating shades of gray over the body. From the pitch black tones underneath the body to the bright white spots from the light, Arnold‘s work plays with color scales in an arresting fashion.

Emy Kat‘s Eve Redemption (ABOVE, LEFT) points more significantly to the alternating viewpoints that society has of the human body. Two images that are overlapping, Kat‘s photo details both the inherent lust that mortals possess via Eve’s fascination with the apple and the intrinsic guilt that is felt at consuming and succumbing to that desire. It’s a deeply moralist piece, one that is as fascinating as it is thought-provoking.

Spiros Politis‘ Untitled Nude (ABOVE, RIGHT) similarly plays with double imagery, albeit in a much more free-flowing and nearly computerized fashion. The model’s cascade from one image (or perhaps several) to the next suggests that there is a constant fluidity between our identity and our being. Politis‘ inspiring photography is even more urgent in today’s tumultuous climate wherein identity is a ever-shifting paradigm, constantly moving from one to another but more importantly, never resting in one spot.

It isn’t too late for you to see your work up here too! Submissions for Graphis’ Nudes 5 Competition run till October 2. Winners will have the opportunity to see their work published on our website, blog, newsletter, and social media platforms!