Cat Tree — Nicola and Manuel
"I take a glance at ourselves
a timid smile on your face
when realizing how bright is
growing as we speak
sparkles and feathers
all at once"
Cat Tree reflects on desire, the male gaze and body language as a result of patriarchal structures. In this collection of work, Nicola and Manuel looked for moments of both intimacy and excitement in their subjects, friends and strangers at times grasped playing up with characters, at times caught in a moment of soft suspension.
The tradition of portraiture linked to gender representation is vivisected in its more recurring vocabulary of poses and stereotyped characters, coquetted with and recomposed in images that invite the viewer into a non-binary space where gender norms are questioned and everything coalesces, innocent and tempting, candid and performative, familiar and unfamiliar.
- 30x23cm
- 2023