Chris

Sexual desire and cinematic performance are filtered through the genre of portraiture in Joe Sinness’ photorealistic drawing, Chris, 2017. Sinness accomplishes this blending through the juxtaposition of the macho male figure against the soft, tender setting inspired by Edwin B. Willis’ set designs for Judy Garland’s MGM musicals. Sinness’ drawing questions our perceptions of sexual desire and performance. The subject, Chris, looks directly at us with an unflinching stare; his posture evokes a sense of empowerment while the soft, pastel clouds in the background visualize a utopic queer space. Despite his leather bondage attire, Sinness deftly portrays his subject as tender and worthy of desire.