American photographer Dana Hoey indubitably reverses the role typically assigned to women in photography in her sophisticated scenography. There are several ‘openings’ to these images, such as desire, domination and female independence. With ‘Tribeca’ (named after a district of New York), she overthrows the conventional codes on the depiction of sexual organs – male and female – in an atmosphere underpinned by the tension of some subtle yet sophisticated self-referencing.
In an unorthodox approach, the woman is dressed and therefore holds the power over the naked man. This work – like all the artist’s output – accentuates an implicit feminism. The photograph depicts a smart, sophisticated woman, staring down at a small table where there is a bone ‘to gnaw on, instead of what is evoked by its phallic form’. Beside her, a naked younger man looks on with that almost melancholic air we might have after making love – or at least what felt like love at that point when the male organ – (chastely?) concealed by his arm – would be there, before the woman’s mouth, evoking both fellatio and the man-eater.
