
P.A.L.: A Portrait in Three Characters
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P.A.L. is an acronym for our subject who is based in London. So why did I hear from a person on Instagram by the name of Alice? That is what piqued my interest about the assignment. Was Alice really a she? Or a he/she?
It’s complicated. The commission involved making portraits of not just one, but three separate personalities contained in one human being. To perform the task of satisfying Patrick, the clients birth name (well, actually, it was Jonathan, but that’s a whole different story), I assembled a great team of creatives who were able to satisfy the various characters wildest dreams.
He/she arrived in Philadelphia on Friday, September 15, 2023, after a visit to New York City. This would be a first visit to Philly and perhaps not the last since he/she reported having such a great time during their stay. My creative director, KVaughn and I met with our new client on the eve of the commission in the Gayborhood where he/she preferred to stay. The question was would we be meeting up with Patrick, Alice, or Lyra (P.A.L.)? KV and I discussed the matter on the way to meet the subject for an early dinner at Sampan. I was sure it would be Alice, because she seemed to be the most domineering of characters. Sure enough, I was right. In a dimly lit street off of Locust walking towards the hotel, I noticed a very tall person with long blond hair, a pink sweater and nothing much else. We first met Alice for sure!
Yet there was a third persona to be revealed during the shoot that was to follow on Saturday. That was Lyra, the alter ego of the more sexually subdued Alice. Lyra was the raging sex queen. Patrick has a different personality, and life. All of these challenges of photographing multiple personalities were met during one of the most complex commissions I’ve yet to receive.
IN PAL’s OWN WORDS:
An introduction from me to this series … In a time (2024) when gender identity fills far more column inches that it should, and LGBT rights appear under attack as society drifts towards the more intolerant (in some regards), I was in two minds (well three, perhaps) … Should what was originally envisaged as a private commission be more, well, public? Would Patrick be comfortable with this? Probably not. (Alice and Lyra’s whispering voices immediately started lobbying for it, of course!).
Working with TW, some back-stories and narratives about the personas were developed that can be found elsewhere in TW’s output. However, this is the first time the whole body of work has been presented as one.
Certain types of self-expression seem to be increasingly marginalised (or monetised) in our society. And whilst my journey of exploration has been a very recent one only starting in 2020, support for what has become a cause célèbre, has become increasingly compelling for me. The trappings of society mean this body of work might be seen as a challenging, step for Patrick. I hope it will not be viewed as a step too far. For Patrick, I suspect it is. For Alice and Lyra – nah! Bring it on!
I’ve been aware of TW’s work for many decades. It includes the most erotic, sensual photography. The camera never used to lie – Tony was at that forefront. He broke new ground that turned my eye in the 1990s, and beyond. Over the years, I remembered the grainy imagery – the eroticism, the ISO 3200+ (I assume) prints – it made an impression. Michelangelo with a camera? For sure. How amazing would it be to connect and see what Tony could make of my recent journey?
I don’t know how I did it. But I did. We connected.
And so … I was welcomed into the most amazing, creative space. I felt like a million dollars. Or in the world we now find ourselves with Musk and co, perhaps a trillion dollars? Just because I felt that good.
I showed up at TW’s studio with a few outfits which were spread out on a bed. KVaughn didn’t judge – only recommended – and then dropped in his beautiful material choices and some bling. I’m not sure I’ve ever met anybody with so much positive energy,
And then we were underway … It was my first time having my makeup done for me. Wow! Star!!!
Anyway … Lots of memories. A sense of ease. Of comfort. Of professionalism. Of being welcomed in. Of my heels sinking into the lawn as I “strutted” my way up to the studio!
So here I am. All of me. Observed. Exposed? Maybe. I guess it takes some explaining for everybody who exists outside my thoughts of self. Which is, err… everybody.
We are all so many things. Some of us are lucky enough to have a wheel of colour that spins so fast as to form a single shade. For me, it’s far from singular, though perhaps that’s just a transition. There is a pendulum that swings. And oh, does it swing!
What follows in this series of pictures are my senses of self. Thank you to TW for capturing them. We should all be able to be whatever we want to be as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. I’d patent that sentence if I could.
Oh, and by “hurt”, I really don’t mean hurting right-wing sensibilities y’all. I make no apologies. This community I’ve fallen into is a sex-positive, dynamic, caring, creative, artistic place, with individuals who have often had to fight for the right to be themselves. Everybody has had to go “beyond”, just to be. Imagine that.
Kinky Cyclist – Miss Joy – was a pleasure to be photographed with. We had a meal out, later, comparing our stories which had some unexpected similarities. The whole experience was something new for me. I’ve never been in a “lights, camera, action” situation before in all of my decades – it’s near-impossible to describe the space we occupied in a photographic studio with lights and people and cameras all around … “Acting”? Perhaps – but it’s about who writes the script, and how authentic the actors are. Somewhere between reality and fiction. You can lose yourself in a role. Lost, still means present. My first taste of “acting”. I want more!
An elaborate multi-verse triptych that shows Patrick, Alice and Lyra.
“And how does it end?” A better question might be, “where does it begin?”
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