Household Idols

In the Privacy of the Home

Mark Henderson's HOUSEHOLD IDOLS is a monograph of sensually charged photographs of athletic males in varying states of clothing/unclothing with a special emphasis of importance being place in the choice of location - that location being Henderson's own home in Los Angeles. Unlike many collections of the male nude, Henderson's emphasis is on the libido charged state he elicits from his models.

In Henderson's own introductory remarks he states his mission well: 'In addition to creating the proper atmosphere and setting, I believe that the careful combination of colors (sometimes lush and vivid, sometimes more subtle) lends an immediacy to the image and can greatly enhance the visual experience - and perhaps inspire the libido! At the same time I prefer strong contrasts between light and dark to add a painterly quality to the photographs. As an art historian specializing in Northern and Southern European painting of the 17th century, I am often drawn to the expressive colors and chiaroscuro effects employed by many of the great Baroque painters.' And it is this selective emphasis of color in this images that makes the photographs appear to have been hand touched with pigment, so bright and rich are the colors in contrast to the subtle overall appearance of the model and the place.

Though Mark Henderson has created a book that has a built in audience, women will find this erotically charged survey of single male models equally tantalizing. This is a celebration of mood and atmosphere with a touch of classical art history that should place it in the library of all who appreciate the male form. Grady Harp

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