Australian photographer Paul Freeman is renowned for his beautifully crafted photography capturing the sensuality of the naked male form, as seen in his best-selling Aussie themed books of the Bondi and Outback series. Now he turns his artistic attention to the world of heroic deeds and manly bonding, with scenarios evoking the homoeroticism of the ancient Greeks, Romans, and even the French and British soldiers at Waterloo. Some images powerfully and movingly convey the loving camaderie of fellow soldiers (think Achilles and Patrocles, the Sacred Band of Thebes, Spartacus); others wittily play off modern and contemporary elements; but all of them are full of the masculine and edgily sexy men that Freeman is famed for finding. This is definitely another one for the collection! As usual, there will be lots of full frontal nudity.
Heroics: Costumes and Attitudes form the Past in Full Bloom NOW!
Grady Harp wrote on 10/23/2011:
Paul Freeman always takes his large following of admirers of his photographic artistry on an experience with every new book he publishes. With a reputation for finding the finest models in Australia to appear in his previous volumes of the outback in Australia (Outback, Outback Currawong Creek, Outback Brumby, Bondi Classic, Bondi Urban, Bondi Work, Bondi Road) the reader expects to see stunningly handsome hunks on the pages of his monographs. But this new book, HEROICS, is a different step for Freeman.
Continuing the same exceptionally high quality of photographic art - black and white, duotone, full color, and color tinted images, with the most sophisticated lighting effects available and a top sense of composition - this book places his models in the uniforms and attitudes of European historical concepts of the Hero. His basically nude models are adorned with swords, shields, armor, hairpieces, and an array of dazzling uniforms from many countries and many periods and from his matrix he recreates the 'old concept' of heroism. Many of the images are tongue in cheek - gladiators posing in front of a kitchen sink, men alone and together with allusions to great warriors from Greek legend and Roman times, men reenacting famous sculptures. Theses images may contain humor and parody, but they still retain Freeman's ability to find that special macho alluring sensuality that is his trademark.
An aspect that makes these images so refreshingly new from his other work is his use of color on otherwise monochromatic photographs. The artist in him flows freely and that aspect we hope to see more often. Just to give this collection of Heroics more validity, Freeman includes photographs of many works of art in ancient sculpture: the reader may have to look twice to realize that these sensitively placed addenda aren't live models, so well are they integrated into his book concept. This book represents a new step for Paul Freeman and to know that he can maintain our dedication to his work with each new thought is one of the marks of a very important artist. Kudos! Grady Harp
