Giovanni (whose real identity is withheld, as though being a famous fashion photographer would prevent his being an art photographer as well) enters the region of controversy that has beleaguered the art world for centuries. How many famous paintings go at great lengths to somehow drape the male genitalia for fear of offending the eyes of both women and men - as though no one has other access to anatomy with their own eyes? It remains a conundrum, this false modesty, one that some of our finer contemporary artists are now addressing.
But on to this particular book. As in is previous volumes BITES, this fine photographic survey PRIVATE PARTS in both black and white and color photographs has as its model the male phallus - in varying states of tumescence - and while not every photograph is an art piece (some good shots idea-wise are out of focus or poorly reproduced), the body of work is fascinating on many levels. It is a perfect adjunct to the books written about the importance of size in the male self-perception: while nearly every model sports superior equipment, the sensuous aspect of each photo has more to do with positioning than with girth or preputial statements or piercing. The photographs are for the most part isolated in the privacy of the model's perineum and rarely involve the presence of other models in the same frame.
The question arises (!): in this second successful foray into forbidden territory, an apparent attempt to shine light and acceptance on a subject that most artists and photographers avoid, why doesn't Giovanni follow through with stepping forward with his true identity? Just a question. All things aside, this is a very well designed and executed book that hopefully will make a difference in the psychology of phallus avoidance. Grady harp, October 06