Dex, Chad States

Chad States 2007
Dex (Masculine Series)
archival pigment print
edition of 3
24" x 30"


"First off, I'd say I'm masculine because of how I feel inside, who I am and how I carry myself. In a lot of ways my masculinity is tied to my male gender role and how I want to project that and be perceived by others." - Dex

What does it mean to be masculine? I have a hard time answering this question. Looking in the dictionary doesn't help. I find concise but vague definitions. "Of or relating to men" or "Suggestive or typical of a man." For me, these listings don't take into account cultural differences, social expectations, or any of the complex ways in which ideas of gender are indoctrinated. So I've decided the best way to answer my question is to find people who consider themselves to be masculine and photograph them.

Through listings on internet sites and flyers posted around the city, I begin by simply asking the question "Are you masculine?" If those who respond do not meet my personal defintitons of masculinity, it doesn't matter. My interest lies in their relationship to their own masculinity. The models are anonymous until the time of meeting and are not paid to pose. Upon meeting, I work in collusion with the model to create an image that best represents them and their masculinity. The setting is either the model's home or a location of their choice that they feel best protrays this masculinity. Using a large format camera, the protraits are formal in style with every pose intentional and deliberate on the part of the subject.

In the end, I hope that these portraits culminate in a body of work that portraits the psyche of the subjects and their desires to present themselves as masculine. - Chad States


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