Sessions
Performance, installation, photography
2007 - 2015
Clary personally knows many of the men in his porn collection. Some are past fuck buddies, others friends, and a few actual porn stars. Sessions is his excuse to chat and get naked with them. To commune. To know the man behind the image. Each session lasts two hours. The camera is set automatically to take a picture every five seconds. At 30-minute intervals the model removes a piece of clothing until he's naked. After the session, I meet with the model to review and veto any image for whatever reason. When exhibited, these photos are blacked out within the chronology. Three versions of the work emerge: the private performance of taking photographs, the public narrative as seen in the pictures, and the secrets we hide. I used several images from the series to create family albums. Sometimes a single image displayed across an album and other times an empty album, as was the case for my ex who threatened to sue me if any images of him were used. Critic Hrag Vartanian said, “Sessions has a meditative quality that seems to teach you something about its sitters; you can sense the humor, humanity, and love of life. Clary allows his men to emerge unhindered by artsy pretension.”
Exhibitions
Rencontres d'Arles (France)
Exit Art (New York)
Rush Arts Gallery (New York)
Press
New York Times (New York)
The Brooklyn Rail (Brooklyn)
Performance, installation, photography
2007 - 2015
Clary personally knows many of the men in his porn collection. Some are past fuck buddies, others friends, and a few actual porn stars. Sessions is his excuse to chat and get naked with them. To commune. To know the man behind the image. Each session lasts two hours. The camera is set automatically to take a picture every five seconds. At 30-minute intervals the model removes a piece of clothing until he's naked. After the session, I meet with the model to review and veto any image for whatever reason. When exhibited, these photos are blacked out within the chronology. Three versions of the work emerge: the private performance of taking photographs, the public narrative as seen in the pictures, and the secrets we hide. I used several images from the series to create family albums. Sometimes a single image displayed across an album and other times an empty album, as was the case for my ex who threatened to sue me if any images of him were used. Critic Hrag Vartanian said, “Sessions has a meditative quality that seems to teach you something about its sitters; you can sense the humor, humanity, and love of life. Clary allows his men to emerge unhindered by artsy pretension.”
Exhibitions
Rencontres d'Arles (France)
Exit Art (New York)
Rush Arts Gallery (New York)
Press
New York Times (New York)
The Brooklyn Rail (Brooklyn)