[A feature to be found in the Spring issue of the magazine, on newsstands or by subscription.] In the studios of the collective “Paris est une pose,” male and queer models pose with confidence. Through the lines of pencils and splashes of ink, a space where art, nudity, and identity meet takes shape.
Photography: Léo Doriano for têtu·
“Let’s go, you have ten minutes.” Michael, cofounder of the Paris est une pose collective, opens the session. To the sound of a playlist carefully chosen to establish a mood that is both focused and inspiring, the twenty-odd participants who came to take part in the drawing workshop settle in and fix their eyes on the two models for the evening: Miguel, a Brazilian dancer who has lived in France for thirteen years, and Pierre, a visual artist, who is trying out the exercise. Soon, the only sound heard is the squeak of pencils on paper.
Paris est une pose is a collective born from the observation that a very large majority of nude art models are women, and it proposes to diversify by offering male nude drawing workshops. For the first tableau, Pierre sits, his head resting against Miguel’s thigh. From the center of the room, they overlook the contemporary gallery in the 11th district of Paris. Focused and serene, they project the power of the nude: visible sexes are only one detail among many. The movements are studied, every gesture counts. The two men communicate without words, in a silent choreography that captivates the audience. “In most workshops, it’s men who draw women,” notes Jean-Baptiste, 43, a regular here. Here, there are men, transgender people… It’s a different relationship to the body, a much freer and more sensitive approach.
View this post on Instagram
Sophie Brennan