There s hypocrisy here, especially regarding Church and State. I think all the clergy and all the politicians should have an artistic education and should start with life-drawing to get a basic understanding of anatomy so that, in future, they ll learn to distinguish between their mouths and their arseholes.
These stirring words of defiance come from 27-year-old Mark Begley, a photographer with his individual eye trained on erotica, portraiture and social commentary.
Born in Cork but living in Dublin since the age of two, he began his photographic journey at 13, to date notching up a mind-boggling 150,000 photographs. In recent years, his commissioned work has included world tour brochures for both Hothouse Flowers and Clannad, as well as a controversial and acclaimed sleeve for Paul Harrington s Cool Love single.
It is Begley s erotic work, however, which could yet set Ireland alight, although any impression that he is operating in similar territory to noted New York photographer Robert Mapplethorpe is quickly dispelled.
I didn t like him, explains Begley. I think he s racist, and that totally goes against the grain of what I m about, which is opening up boundaries, encouraging people to reach out and to think for themselves. I don t like the way he displayed black men in submissive and slavery-type positions. I like flaws, because the people I photograph are human, after all, and if imperfection is present, then I m not afraid to show it.
Indeed, one of Begley s more striking works is entitled A Safe Response To Mapplethorpe , in which the presence of a condom carries its own message.
People should embrace sexuality more, celebrate it, be proud of it, he says. No matter what your sexuality, go for it, celebrate it. I want people to communicate more, and sex is a real form of communication.
Except when it comes to the publication of erect penises, that is.
The phallus is an ancient symbol of masculinity, but it s men who made the Victorian laws we live with, Mark notes. It s okay for me to go into a public museum and see women s genitalia exposed and they get off on it, but what are they afraid of when it comes to a penis? It s either complete homophobia or they re not willing to give women the power they have. Repression of women on another level.
simple approach
Begley, on the other hand, has no interest in the kind of full-frontal pornographic photography which is arguably of more use to gynaecology students than anyone else.
I wouldn t do it, he says emphatically. I don t think it s a celebration of sexuality, it s degrading. My erotic photography tries to leave something to the imagination, forcing people to think.
Forsaking the use of artificial light, Begley s preference is for daylight to cast its glow.
Light is very important in my work, yes. From a spiritual point of view, it can t be seen, but it can be perceived. I work with daylight only, be it from a window or outdoors. I try to empower people, to try to capture some of the mystery and the magic of the personalities involved and communicate that. I m also very influenced by photographers of the 30s. It s a simple approach, and there is room for accidental meanings and happenings. My background is art, and I m influenced by painters like Caravaggio, where light scopes the body naturally and beautifully.
Begley s non-erotic work, meanwhile, covers subjects as diverse as the changing face of Dublin and also war-torn Croatia.
I ve been documenting Dublin for the last eight years, a changing city, he says. Yet, I like people to think for themselves and I don t give meanings to my photographs. Regarding Croatia, I was there for six weeks in 1993, when the war was at its height out there. An amazing experience. I just went out on a limb, and went there. The people were very warm and passionate, and that s why they fought so hard. I love passionate people, who believe in themselves. I concentrated on the innocent parties in the war, focusing in on the children s lives, the women, the older people. Victims of the status quo.
Mark Begley considers himself a spiritual rather than religious person.
Spirituality is for people who ve been to hell, religion for people who just believe in it, he says. Religion is a form of state control, power. I prefer to be a free
spirit. n
Mark Begley s work can be seen as part of a group show entitled Black And White In Progress at the Coffee Rosterie in Dublin s Powerscourt Centre from April 9th.