GIGOLO

‘‘Have you ever photographed a black guy?’, somebody asked. Actually, he asked me if I had photographed a nigger, but this word is too denigrating for me. ‘No’, I answered. ‘Well, you’ll get one for your birthday on the condition that I may attend the photoshoot.’ This felt odd and a little bit awkward to me, but I didn’t want to miss this unusual present. And so, one day a tall handsome black guy rang at my door. Guy was his nickname, gigolo his profession. He asked 150 euros per hour. Together with my maecenas he entered my studio. I was a little bit nervous because I could only use him for an hour and so within this hour I had to do the job: I wanted to make splendid photographs of him. I had prepared the photo session very carefully. The model contract lay on the table, the studio lighting was tested, there was oil and a plant nozzle sprayer and, mentally and most importantly, I had a vision, a concept, in my mind and I could previsualise the portrait I wanted to make. He was a gigolo and I wanted to portray him in this way: an object of desire, horny, passionately desirable, an image that stimulates butterflies in your belly. He took off his clothes. I asked him to spread the oil on his skin. Meanwhile my maecenas was sitting in the red sofa, apparently quietly and without emotions. Time started. Passionately, I started photographing, gave orders, sprayed water on his beautiful skin. Time was pressing. After one hour I asked if I could work further? Just a moment I could … without extra charge. I got the impression that my model felt some satisfaction. Meanwhile my one-man public was enjoying himself in silence. Two hours later they left the studio. It was the first and last time I saw Guy. When nowadays I look at the photos of my gigolo, I feel deeply that I have pictured him as an object of desire. The higher point of view - the metaphorical bird-perspective – gives him a submissive willing look. He symbolises a male presentation of power and potency whose extraordinarily sized sex organs provoke frustration in many white men.