Capturing the end of a more innocent era for gay culture and for Los Angeles, Blake Little’s latest monograph, Construction Nudes 1981- 1985, juxtaposes the purity of the nude male form against raw, almost violent concrete environments as a reaction to the AIDS crisis that was ravaging the queer community. In preparation of the upcoming 1984 Olympics, LA was growing exponentially and building massive skyscrapers speaking to the city’s new international status. Sneaking models into these dangerous construction sites, Little boldly captured gay men in often classical and haunting images that speak to the fear and unknown of the time. These photographs present an artistic time capsule of a unique moment in LGBT history and the history of the city.
Recently rediscovered in his multi-decade archive, the photographic series presented in this newly published book collects Little’s first post-academic body of work after moving to Los Angeles in 1980. It also shows his burgeoning interest in figure photography after transitioning out of architectural work, apparent in the contrast of setting and subject. Construction Nudes 1981-1985 highlights the striking contrast between the strength and vulnerability of the human body and the rigidity of a city’s foundation. The naked figures, fully formed in flesh and blood, are set amidst the beginnings of buildings that will one day dominate the Los Angeles skyline.
As Little explains “It has been a revelation for me to rediscover these photos from my archives. I see the beginnings of what would become my approach to photography, especially in terms of composition and my interest in photographing the male nude that I continue to pursue to this day.”
Blake Little : Construction Nudes 1981-1985
Limited Edition Hardcover Book
8.5” x 11”
94 Pages, 65 Analogue Black & White Photographs
Pre-order Available Now
https://blakelittle.store/books-by-blake-little-construction-nudes/
