The beauty of intimacy is often overshadowed by the taught conviction not to speak about it, fears, negative experiences, the taboo is strong. The sexual side of people is something that we are taught to hide and this taboo starts with the nude body. In this society there is an almost unbreakabale bond between nudity and sexuality. There are very few places where our body can just be a body. While it can be so liberating to just BE your purest self.
There are many creative projects where attention is given to the beauty of the naked body. Every body, alle distinct shapes, the strenght, the gentleness. Beautiful! Often a very consicous choice is made within these projects to stay away from the sexual experiences we have with our bodies. That’s a shame. Nudity doesn’t have to be sexual, but that aspect also exist! Our sexual identity, the intimate relationship with ourselves and others, is a magnificent aspect of being human.
With Embracing Intimacy, we want to show emotional, physical, intimate connections as something beautiful and powerful. The images we create are not only beautiful and perhaps exciting, but also a means of communication to demonstrate the freedom that could exist if we were to give ourselves and each other a little bit more space. Darkness can be very beautiful and exciting, but only if it is a choice. Not when you prefer the darkness because you feel like you have to hide, that you are doing something that isn’t supposed to be done.
The interaction with the various taboos surrounding nudity and sexuality makes it a complicated or confronting subject for many people. This is precisely what makes it interesting for us, and we believe it’s important to address these topics with Embracing Intimacy.
A visual exploration
As photographers, we capture moments. This can be a powerful visual medium but also has its limitations. Embracing Intimacy started with the idea of creatively capturing masturbation and orgasm. Soon, we realized that photography alone was too limited to visually capture this experience, so we began experimenting with video. Words also felt too constrained. Therefore, Embracing Intimacy is a combination of captured silent moments, slowed-down moving images, sound recordings, written, and spoken words. With this interplay, we hope to convey some of the beauty of intimacy to anyone who wants to come and see, listen, read, and experience.
At this moment (2024), Embracing Intimacy consists of three visual projects, three intimate experiences: intimacy with oneself, intimacy with others, and the perspectives of different photographers on capturing intimacy. More information about these individual projects can be found on other pages of this website. The different project lines within Embracing Intimacy are connected, among other things, by the choices we make in how we depict intimacy visually. The most important aspect is that we capture one experience. Filming and photographing happens simultaneously, partly handheld and partly from a tripod. This limits creative options, but it also allows us to stay as close as possible to the actual experience of the models. This is an important aspect of Embracing Intimacy. No show is put on; the goal is to capture real, pure intimate experiences. Therefore, nothing is directed during the recordings, and there is, in principle, no interaction between the models and the photographer and videographer during the shoot. Especially in the video footage, extreme close-up shots will be another characteristic element of Embracing Intimacy. This way, we intimately involve the viewer in the experience of the models. An exception to this is the project Do You See Me?.
An essential element of Embracing Intimacy is the aim to challenge taboos and fully embrace intimacy with everyone who will be involved in this journey. Visually, we also move towards light, towards open space. Therefore, most shoots will take place outdoors. Through this choice, we also connect intimacy with human nature. If we are offered a beautiful indoor location with ample space and daylight, we may also organize shoots there. In principle, only one shoot is done at each location because exploring multiple locations is part of the search for space to make intimacy visable.
The experience as an extra character
The fact that we are capturing images is also an important part of the experience for the models. Intimacy within an artistic project is, of course, very different from private intimacy and may not be something everyone wants to experience. To capture this aspect of Embracing Intimacy, images will also be taken behind-the-scenes where possible. It will be a unique experience for many models, and the behind-the-scenes process is just as important as the edited video footage and the edited photos. The collection of images is a product in itself, but it is also a means of communication to everyone outside the project. A means of communication to show the value and beauty of intimacy. And the freedom that could exist if we, as a society, were to embrace sexual intimacy more.
Embracing Intimacy 