One of my favorite pieces from last fall was OOKY, one of my Halloween themed posts featuring the incredible work of artist Dusti Cunningham. It is one of the true pleasures of working on FH, that every so often I come upon work that is not only original, but that is able to hit an emotional and erotic nerve not poked in the same way before. FH readers know I LOVE circus imagery, and the sites, and I'm sure sounds, under Dusti's big top are not only beautifully colorful, but raw, sexual and wonderfully dirty.
My use of dirty is deliberate, but I'm not referencing the sexual connotation, instead I mean dirty as in organic or raw. When I was featuring Dusti's work last October, it struck me how naked and exposed Dusti's models were, even though most were covered and disguised in clown make-up. Through Dusti's lens, the make-up doesn't actually act to cover anything up but instead acts to bring out traits and urges usually kept well under wraps.
So many times I see models, exposed and vulnerable, struggling to express themselves beyond the actual experience of posing naked. The make-up, costumes and situations Dusti sets up brings out such fierce energy, sexual but also commanding and self empowering, a place so many of us strive to achieve.
Circus Liquor
I especially love Dusti's Circus Liquor series show here. Many you are familiar with the iconic North Hollywood landmark, seen in many movies and television sows. I love how the models interact, the theme, the energy and colors.
