Why should men be constrained by the old fashioned stereotypes of masculinity?

 

For Project XY/YX, I am exploring my personal confrontation with manhood

 

As a reportage photographer my work often focuses on people that live in extreme conditions worldwide. However, the project that I am presenting to you now is not a travel outward, but more a journey inward. Being a gay man that grew up in a small rural village, I have often been confronted with the stereotypes of masculinity forced upon myself. In my project XY/YX I am putting the stereotype of the strong, non-emotional and bold man into question.

 

For this project I have worked with men that I met randomly in bars, on the street or social media. We agreed to spend some time together in their home-environment to talk and have a quiet moment. This could entail relaxing at home, smoking a cigarette in the park, or having a drink. Each session was really an exploration of identity, with an attempt on my part to create a photograph that represented my view on the individual. I think this intimacy that I shared with my subjects allowed me to capture part of their hidden identity. The resulting individual images each tell a story of a person in their bubble, their safe zone. The strong focus on the emotional side of this series is a personal attempt to break away from social constraints concerning manhood.

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Pieter J. Meuwissen, 2020