Interested in problems of identity—particularly sexuality and gender—Collier Schorr (Born 1963 in New York) explores the construction of masculinity in photographs of wrestlers, young soldiers, and solitary adolescent figures. Her subjects are often ambiguous in gender, an early instance of the blurring of boundaries that has become topical today. Her formal approach shows the influence of German photographers Andreas Gursky and Thomas Ruff.
Schorr’s portraits often relay teenagers’ coming-of-age stories, across genders and nationalities, in images that bear traces of desire and longing, fantasy and fiction. Lovely to Feel and to Touch depicts a shirtless boy leaning against a tree, posing with confidence and ease. Schorr has said of her work: “I wanted to examine bodies as forms outside of popular cultural motifs, almost nude, constantly moving in both structured and unconscious ways.”
