Intense intimacy is a feeling equivalent to that of being in the most vulnerable state. The throbbing beat of your heart beneath your chest, sweaty palms overcompensating for your insatiably dry throat, and words… Words become lost. A mouth, not speaking, but still uttering; 'I love you' - even if it's just in this moment; a universal tongue known by all. A restless moment spent with an unfamiliar soul, temporarily blemishing memories and smearing their presence across the subconscious, even after they’ve gone.
Absorbed in their private moments, recollecting memories of defenceless moments, all walls diminished for just a brief moment. Ben at IMG Models, Calum, Joe K and Youri at Models 1 and Freddie at Elite London are boys who have fallen victim to amorous moments that have temporarily stained their skin. Jessica Mahaffey captures evidence of private, lustful affairs for all to see, sparking inklings of curiosity in the minds of those in passing. A person’s territory smeared across their flesh: they belong to them now, for however long - until those marks eventually begin to fade. Sinking deeper into the skin, rich violet purples swirling into yellowish greens - until they’re gone. Alluring bruises attracting the most inquisitive eye.
Who left it? Was it a long-term lover? Was it a stranger? Was it someone that it shouldn’t have been? They are most often signs of feverish desire and lust, holding a great deal more than what is eventually left when partakers return to reality. Caught following a moment of l'amour, stylist Dee Moran clothes the boys in loosely fitted shirts and jumpers that embrace the heart, providing the boys with the necessary space to reflect on what was. The marks on their skin are heavy and pulsing. They won't forget too easily the story that was left on the crevices of their necks. In it or not, that thing called love, bites.
...Full story available here.
Image taken from Boys by Girls, shot by Jessica Mahaffey.
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