Call for Photographers: "Bare Men: The Group Show" is Accepting Submissions

Bare Men: The Group Show 


On October 1, 2019 the male nude in photography will be celebrated.


Submissions are now open for the Bare Men: The Group Show exhibit to be held in New York City.


ENTER BY:
August 10, 2019


Bare Men: The Group Show is a photography exhibition of the male nude curated and presented by Abigail Ekue Photography. This exhibit will showcase photo imagery which celebrates all expressions of the male nude - sensuality, grace, strength, vulnerability and sexuality.


All genres of photography featuring the male nude will be considered -- classical, fine art, self portraits, fashion or glamour, erotic, outdoor/nature or urban, conceptual, dance et al.


Artists at any stage of their career can submit. POC and LGBTQ photographers are encouraged to submit their work.


INFO  +  SUBMIT  WORK: https://www.abigailekuephotography.com/bare-men-group-show


If you have any other questions, please contact for information.

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Bare Men on Zoomin TV

While I was in Houston this past April, I was interviewed and filmed for a new series produced by Zoomin.TV about Bare Men! It was first time being filmed while at work and to be interviewed on camera. I was asked about 20 questions about the series, male nudity, body image, my photography on the whole. It's interesting what they decided to go with for the final cut.



A huge thank you to the Bare Man who was willing to be filmed during our photo shoot and share his insight about participating in the Bare Men project.

The videographer who filmed us is Jason Osborne. We hit if off right away and he handled working with a nude man like a pro.

Repost from Abigail Ekue Photography

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Bare Men Exhibit at the Erotic Heritage Museum

"Pierced", Abigail Ekue Photography, 8 x 12 in

This summer - June 1 to July 31 - Bare Men will be exhibited at the Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas!



I sat on this news for almost a YEAR. I received word from the Erotic Heritage Museum curator in May 2016 that I'd be the 'Artist of the Month' at the museum -- and my work would be exhibited for 2 months!!

Shoot in My City, Abigail Ekue Photography

For the second half of 2016 (how is it the 2nd half of the year already??) and beyond, I will be combining my work and travel a lot more!


So I've a gotta question for you: 

Which cities should I visit for private photo shoots?

Get Bare Men on PAPER

In one of the mysteries of cyberspace, this interview disappeared from the PAPER magazine website. 

I discovered I couldn't discover the article while I was updating the links on my photography website and reached out to the writer to find out what's what. 

How Are You So Sure? Because the Universe Provides

"How are you so sure?" I asked a friend that question, in awe of his certainty that he's where he's meant to be in life and will get every and anything he wants and needs.


He pointed to the walls of the studio where we sat and each poster on the wall had a story. He could recount all the laughs and tears and the gifts he received and things he lost. He expresses gratitude for all he has and goes through life fearlessly. Not to be confused with foolishly.

We were hanging out that day because I needed his energy. I always feel good in his presence. I feel heard and I'm guaranteed a piece of sage advice from him. 

I was on vacation a few weeks prior and questioning my direction in life. I was internalizing all the change in New York. There was this resistance in me against being the 'naked man photographer'. I was discouraged at my living situation and bank account balances. 

It's hard to look on the bright side at times and go forward knowing I will be taken care of. Even though I'm ten years removed, depression has rewired my brain. My usually optimistic, determined nature is sometimes shattered with hopelessness, despair and fear.

To Paula, From Bare Men

I welcome the direct notes and emails about Bare Men that I receive. To my relief, they are positive and supportive. Some people share their appreciation of the art, others are advocates of nudity, I hear from men who want to participate in the series, while others who contact me are explicit in their arousal upon viewing the photos.

A couple of the recent notes I've received recently:

"I was absolutely blown away by your Bare Men project and wanted to offer my sincere compliments. I found you on the website "Naked Men, Happy Women". It is a site I check out occasionally, and certainly your work just jumped right of the page! I do love your non-judgmental philosophy, not insisting on ideal or perfect body types. Your talent in this field is most evident!"

This one - Subject: Ekue's wisdom - I received from a man in the Midwest who was passionate about nudity the misconceptions surrounding it:

Abigail, I am a young man from Minnesota. Society deserves no apology for your support of nudity!!!

The human body is not indecent!!! It is a gift which provides opportunities for its occupants to pursue good lives. We all pretty much have the same bodies. We are born nude, we dress nude, we shower nude.....and under our clothes we are nude. Pornography also is absent when particular persons issue zero portrayal of sexual material (for arousal). 

Questions on Naked Men & Arousal, Seduction and Being a Woman Artist

How did I handle the men who become aroused during Bare Men photo shoots? Has work on Bare Men changed me as an artist or a woman? When's the book coming out?


Sarah McPhee asked me those wonderful questions about Bare Men after discovering it on Refinery29. It was very refreshing to receive her email - one step up from the praise emails and comments I receive and definitely better than the negativity from those who simply don't get or appreciate nudity or nude art. This one also had different tone from the interview in WideWalls.

Bare Men featured on Refinery29

Those who are not new to my blog or my work know I've been working on a male nude series, Bare Men, and that it's been a bit of a challenge getting my work exhibited. Who knew penis was so scary?

However...

I'm very excited that a major US-based media outlet has covered my series!  Please check out the latest piece on my male nude series, Bare Men, on Refinery29 -- 

12 Honest, Vulnerable (NSFW) Photos Of Naked Men

"In general, men don't need any more visibility in mainstream culture than they already have. But Bare Men strikes a different chord. Rather than exult the naked male form, Ekue normalizes and neutralizes it. These images don't attack or threaten us; rather, they put us in the position of voyeur, even intruder... After all, how often do we catch men in such a state? What changes when we see a man without his guard up, flaccid and imperfect? Stripped of everything from their clothes to their class, these subjects appear simply as men in their bodies."

The writer, Sara Coughlin did a wonderful job on the introduction, capturing the essence of the series and sharing her take on the images. As an artist, I also appreciate not being misquoted!

Bare Men featured at Autumnal: A Group Show

Some of you know about the uphill battle I've faced since starting my male nude series, Bare Men. But I've continued work on the series -- meeting and working with great men along the way and creating wonderful, thoughtful and provoking art.


On October 22, photographs from Bare Men will exhibited at Autumnal: a group show at arthouse.nyc. The opening reception is from 7 to 9 PM.

Bare Men Preview (VIDEO)

Work continues on my male nude series, Bare Men. The book layout is at 90%. The images that will be featured in the solo exhibition are selected for the most part. But what was going to be the preview exhibit for my series has been cancelled. The images that were selected for the juried exhibition were pulled from the exhibit. The reason I was given was that the other artists did not want to share screens with me because my work would have to be seen along with theirs and they didn't want any of their guests to be offended. 

The Positive of Mercury Retrograde

 

Old photo from my trip to GA. Photo taken by my bro, "Kid"

Merely writing this blog post is indicative of Mercury Retrograde. Lately my work and creative energies have been focused on photography and exercise and fitness -- areas of my life that I've gone back to recently.


Revise, Rewrite, Rework, Relearn, Rekindle...



Bare Men is a major focus point right now. The project has taken on new life. I'll even be able to preview images this spring in an exhibit -- I've found a home for my nude men.