Photographer Ann-Marie Stillion Challenges Male Nudity Stigma - PART 2

Artists Up Closefeatures in-depth and intimate profiles of emerging and established artists in the Seattle area and beyond. Our events offer open conversations between the community and artists across disciplines.  I created Artists Up Close because I’m hungry for arts coverage that goes deep. I’m hungry to read it and I’m hungry to write it. We live in an era of quick hot takes, sound bites, and copy/paste press releases. I’m tired of that. I want to dig beneath the surface of artists’ lives and artistic practices. What makes them tick? What is their reason for existing and creating? I want to take a trip deep into the mind of the artist. Come take that journey with me.

Artists Up Close

Join a lively conversation about the male nudity taboo. This is part 2. This time sponsored by a supporter!

CORE Gallery

Ready to challenge your perceptions of male nudity? Join us for an exclusive and immersive experience at <a href="https://www.coregallery.org/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">CORE Gallery</a>, where you'll participate in an intimate conversation between the accomplished photographer<a href="http://www.arttrek.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer"> Ann-Marie Stillion</a> and award-winning writer Beverly Aarons, the founder of <a href="https://www.artistsupclose.com/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Artists Up Close</a>.Join us for the second part of this popular event, now FREE to all, thanks to our supportive sponsor!Dive into Stillion's groundbreaking new photography exhibition, Bound, and engage in a vibrant discussion exploring how the male nudity taboo harms society. This isn't just another artist talk. This is a unique, interactive experience that connects you with the artist and her work on a deeper level. Share your own insights on the subject of male nudity, and contribute to the conversation about its implications on our culture and collective well-being.Don't miss your SECOND chance to be part of this private, two-hour special event on April 22, 2023 at 3pm. This private event takes place during the public reception of the exhibition, which runs from March 29th until April 29th.Please note: This event will be audio recorded.

“Bound” a limited edition photograph by Ann-Marie Stillion, part of the new photography works at CORE Gallery which opens on March 29 and runs through April 29 in Seattle’s Pioneer Square.The new photography works are printed on large panels of silk and smaller, aluminum surfaces. The silk works are hung on invisible acrylic frames and come alive as they appear to float and move. The smaller works on aluminum hold enigmatic visual messaging on the subject of bodies struggling to be free of society’s constraints.

“When I started photographing the nude figure in 2013 there was little contemporary art showcasing nudity but I was not prepared for how relentlessly we have turned our backs on our own bodies, especially images of men. Women’s bodies are uncovered everywhere but when we see men we rush to cover them up, make a joke or, worse, turn away calling it porn or caging it as merely “for homosexual” viewing.” -- Ann-Marie StillionBound began as a series responding to censorship, whether in social media, exhibition or in the world in general.When I started photographing the nude figure in 2013 there was little contemporary art showcasing nudity but I was not prepared for how relentlessly we have turned our backs on our own bodies, especially images of men. Women’s bodies are uncovered everywhere but when we see men we rush to cover them up, make a joke or, worse, turn away calling it porn or caging it as merely “for homosexual” viewing.I discovered that challenging the idealized notion of the male hero in particular - armored and invincible - and even suggesting the importance of vulnerability is a crack in the armor that many people are not prepared to confront.

With a professional writing career spanning 30+ years, Beverly Aarons is a distinguished storyteller, exploring the intersections of history, current realities, and imagined future worlds. As an award-winning journalist, she has interviewed a diverse range of individuals, from <a href="https://southseattleemerald.com/2020/05/05/visual-artist-juan-alonso-finds-wellspring-of-creativity-in-pandemic-chaos/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">artists</a> and <a href="https://southseattleemerald.com/2021/01/21/gardnerglobal-serves-up-a-plan-for-generational-black-wealth/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">business owners</a> to <a href="https://southseattleemerald.com/2020/09/15/materials-scientist-ainissa-ramirez-explores-how-technology-has-changed-us/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">scientists</a>, for publications such as South Seattle Emerald and The Iranian. And she has facilitated several <a href="https://townhallseattle.org/event/orly-lobel-with-beverly-aarons/" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">conversations</a> at Town Hall Seattle.
Recognizing the need for in-depth arts coverage, Beverly Aarons founded Artists Up Close in 2022. Her passion for uncovering the deeper layers of artists' lives and creative processes drives her to tell stories that transcend superficial hot-takes and soundbites.
In 2023, she began collaborating with Seattle artists to create unique, transformative artist conversations that are more than just a bunch of talking heads and a silent audience. Her artist gatherings are more than talks, they’re community discussions where the artist and attendees share their thoughts about the artwork, its themes, and the artist’s process. 
A﻿arons' thoughts on founding Artists Up Close: "I created Artists Up Close because I’m hungry for arts coverage that goes deep. I’m hungry to read it and I’m hungry to write it. We live in an era of quick hot takes, sound bites, and copy/paste press releases. I’m tired of that. I want to dig beneath the surface of artists’ lives and artistic practices. What makes them tick? What is their reason for existing and creating? I want to take a trip deep into the mind of the artist. Come take that journey with me."

Agenda

Mingle

Beverly & Ann-Marie Discussion

Group Discussion

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