[ HOLE I ] [ CAGES11 ]

[ HOLE I ] [ CAGES10 ]

[ HOLE I ] [ CAGES09 ]

Just more few words about this shooting. That was the first and only time I worked with a make up artist for an [ HOLE ] serie. I don't work with make up artists for this kind of stuff anymore. First because there's no need of complexe make up (let the models do this) and it's all about intimacy. A rendez vous with me and a model. I don't want other guys around (even if they go away after ten minutes like in this case).
That was the more complexe shooting too because of the tv and stuffs. I was alone and I had the tv with camera recorder plugged in to deal with. The light to fix. The smoking machine. No much place left for creative ideas and thoughts.
I am NO technician at all. NOT AT ALL. So now I don't give a shit about lights and stuff. It's just me, the model and the camera.
Simplicity is purity.

[ HOLE I ] [ CAGES08 ]

[ HOLE I ] [ CAGES07 ]

The theme for the first serie is about the loss of identity.
The image we try to give to the world, the image people see of us and what we really are.
In this serie the story is about someone who struggles to give a clean image to other and who realizes that this image is not her and suffers about it. It's about how we are, how is hard to be ourselves when we are surrounded by conventions and judgments.
By the time I was questioning myself about how I should be and what I should to. Artists like Nan Goldin or Natacha Merritt were revolutionizing my artistic approach and my personal life was a mess.

So basicly it's the story of me abandoning my old lifes and searching for new dark and personal territories.

[ HOLE I ] [ CAGES06 ]

[ HOLE I ]

The first [HOLE] was not something very definitive. About the concept I mean. It was before the "dark nudity girls in hotel rooms". Well it's dark and there's nudity but that was not in an hotel room. Photos were taken in the girl's apartment.

I knew the model because I did some shootings with here an I trusted her (and she trusted me enough) to do this "experiment". That was our first full nude session for each other and it was really like breaking some personnal barrers. I don't know if I want to go to personal stuffs explanations but all I want to say is I tried to keep this goal on every serie. Trying to push the envelope about personal feelings and intimacy. [HOLE] is sometimes about breaking taboos and issues.

Anyway the work here is very influenced about Roy Stuart, Nan Goldin and Natacha Merrit. First time (and only time in [HOLE]) I'm using a smoking machine (as Roy Stuart does). I used a little cheap garden lamp for light (I have NO professional equipment whatsoever) with some blue gelatin paper to color the light.

That was the first time colors were dark and faded and I didn't care.

Anyway, let's check some pics.

[ HOLE I ] [ CAGES01 ]

[ HOLE I ] [ cages ] model [ Laetitia ]

it's all about [loss]

Life here has no meaning. Life here is no fun.

Jon Crosby

[HOLE] is a photographic project I created in 2004. It's about loneliness and nudity.

It's all about [loss].

When I began photography my inspirations were fashion and music CD covers. So all my work was about "beautiful" and colorful images. My goal was to create images that everybody would like.Then I discovered artists like Nan Goldin, Natacha Merrit, Roy Stuart, the photographic work from David Lynch... Since then my beliefs never went the same anymore. A Nan Goldin's work exhibition in 2004 proved me that beauty is not only in glitter and colors. Beauty can be found in some dark places.

So [HOLE] is a journey into those dark places. It tries to capture the beauty of despair. The elegance of solitude.

I suffered loss (who didn't ?). I still suffer it.
[HOLE] is an hommage to those moments. An exorcism too.
It's all about a personal story. And happy people have no stories.

This is dark. This is sad. Hope you'll enjoy it :)