They are weightless, majestic and beautiful. The women in Steve Richard's The Sensual World float in a dark, mysterious world. Through elaborate staging, Richard successfully gives a modern spin to the classic aesthetic of the female body in his underwater fine art photography. The models pose in flat water with a black background and velvet cloths around them. The effect is an illusion of weightless motion. "Plate 1" is a great example of the female form---her hands and back are delicately arched along with pointed toes. The dark hues of velvet and green come out in "Plate 11" with the model's flowing hair draped lightly across her face. A pleasant surprise in Richard's work is the array of tattoo art featured---in "Plate 5," the model's red flower tattoo adds an unexpected pop of colour and in "Plate 9" there is a gorgeous back tattoo. The human body is indeed another useful canvas.
Steve Richard: The Sensual World: Underwater Photography of the Human Form
To December 11, Argyle Fine Art, 1559 Barrington Street, 425-9456
