Consuming Desires by Muema

“The paradox of desire, in which the animalistic naturalism of passion is juxtaposed with a sense that humanity is capable of rising to higher things, is first evident in the classical world. In ancient Greece and Rome, society was in many ways dominated by sexual desire, and the literature of the classical period is replete with depictions of sexual longing.” -Alexander Lee

The scent of sweat infused cologne. The sight of forbidden black male fantasies. The taste of desire. The touch of an erection. The sound of rhythm and blues. Consuming Desire is a series of photographs investigating the secret world of male strip shows. These images challenge the myths that women don’t have as much of a sex drive as men or that women are not turned on by watching naked men.

Shot digitally in 2005, these photographs are the result of four years of unsuccessful attempts to gain access to this world. Finally access was granted and the result is these images. The world of underground male strip parties can only be found by those with their ear to the ground, as they are constantly rotating to different secret locations in various urban neighborhoods.

My initial inspiration was to explore the physical manifestation of desire via photographing the stimulus (male strippers) and corresponding response (the women that desire them). I view the images as part of a broader conversation on relaxed sexual attitudes, particularly in our current society.

Consuming Desire is an extension of my prior bodies of work which explore underground subcultures with a focus on inhabitants: both the voyeurs and performers.

What is the progressive face of female desire and how does it manifest itself?

Muema is a New York City based artist.
To view more of Muema's work, please visit his website.