Gesture of Intimacy

This series is an homage to love and the unspoken consent to desire. The images
exhibited are a visual love poem. No deeper meaning is implied. The feelings and
emotions that may be evoked in the viewer are the only goal intended.
Love and desire can be communicated in ways other than the spoken word, not
only with a gesture of a hand, but through the posture of the body. The way one
carries themselves—a tilt of the head, a stance, a look or a movement—can speak
volumes and communicate a message that, consciously or unconsciously, we each
send and receive every waking moment. Body language is universal. Except for
subtle gestures that may be artifacts from a particular culture, almost any man or
woman would understand the intent of desire in a gesture regardless of the verbal
language.

Over time, through photographing my wife (and model), I have come to see the
familiar gestures in my images that are the foundation of our relationship. I see the
openness we have cultivated and the love and desire that we feel for each other. I
see the adventure of our love in each and every gesture.

There are many layers of intimacy in this work. Possibly the most hidden is the
intimacy displayed by my wife. Her level of trust in me allows me to photograph
her in this way and is a testament to the depth of intimacy that has grown between
us. The part played by the artist is another. What I evoke from the subject and what
I choose to photograph are the intimacies I have with my wife as my model and the
medium in which I work. The last level of intimacy is what the viewer sees; the
implication of intimacy in gesture and stance by the subject photographed. As you
can see, this body of work is more than mere documentation. It is the product of a
relationship between two lovers—one seen and one implied.

Hal Gage