Beautiful

Black Bathroom

THE VALENCIA AREA IN SPAIN IS A MUCH-LOVED AREA OF THOSE WHO KEEP THEMSELVES BUSY WITH SPELEOLOGY. SPELEOLOGY, ALSO KNOWN AS CAVING, IS THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY AND EXPLORATION OF UNDERGROUND CAVITIES. THE LIMESTONE CAVES IN THE VALENCIA REGION, THAT WERE ONLY DISCOVERED IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY, OFFER A TREASURE FOR THOSE WHO LOVE TO DWELL UNDERGROUND. AND IT TRULY IS AMAZING, NOT ONLY TO SEE THOSE ROCK FORMATIONS AND LAYERS THAT TELL US SO MUCH ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHIC HISTORY OR OUR PLANET, BUT ALSO THE STORIES LEFT BEHIND BY THOSE WHO LIVED OR PASSED HERE SUCH UNCOUNTABLE YEARS AGO. HISTORY HAS BEEN PRESERVED HERE IN WAYS WE CAN PROBABLY NEVER MATCH.

Pascual Ibañez was born in the Barrio del Carmen, one of the nicest historical neighbours of the city of Valencia, Spain. Being born and raised in such an historical part of an old city, it was almost impossible for Pascual not to be influenced by the past. Add to that that close to Valencia one can find the oldest known cave drawings, dating back approximately 40,000 years. Already at the early age of 15 Pascual became fascinated by the underground world near his city that had so much to offer and he picked up the hobby, or should I say passion, of caving. It was also at this time he picked up a photo camera for the first time. His speleology sports offered him the opportunity to make magnificent photographs of underground spectacles. And even though he has moved on from that now, it seems that those first experiences, working with impressive rock formations, crystalized walls and dramatic shadows and cave painting, have become the palette for his own expressions of art.

Since the early 1990’s Pascual Ibañez moved his camera from underground caves to the more glamorous surroundings of fashion houses. His skills in photography became known in the industry and Pascual established himself as a renowned fashion photographer. Having fashion still as a high priority, he has over the past years also ventured in other areas of photography, such as travel, art, men and women and nudes. His work is impeccable and shows a quality that can only be described as timeless. One can imagine that having spent so much time underground in close surroundings of those millennia old paintings, Pascual seems to be driven to leave his own mark in history. And though it seems not likely that photography will stand the passing of time as well as those well preserved drawings, Pascual most certainly has succeeded in creating his own legacy.

Over the past years we have been so lucky to see several of Pascual’s photographic series and they all stand out. One of the things most of his series have in common is his use of raw materials, something that undeniable finds its origins in Pascual earlier fascination with caves and rocks. His work with Luis Ansa, a 32-year-old Navarrese model, is another perfect example. Black Bathroom is a set created in – indeed – a bathroom. But not just any bathroom. This one is constructed entirely out of grey stone slate. A backdrop that gives the photos a sensuality that the model transmits to the camera. Luis himself is not unpleasant to look at either of course. And neither are the apparel pieces he is – or is not - showing.

40,000 years ago, those who documented their daily life on the walls of a cave could not imagine that today many people enjoy their primitive ways of art and communications. So who knows, with a little bit of luck, in a few thousand years someone will gaze over the works of Pascual Ibañez with that same admiration. –BM-

PASCUAL IBAÑEZ SEBASTIÁN | BEAUTIFULMAG

Renaissance

THE INTELLECTUAL BASIS OF THE RENAISSANCE WAS ITS OWN INVENTED VERSION OF HUMANISM, DERIVED FROM THE CONCEPT OF ROMAN HUMANITAS AND THE REDISCOVERY OF CLASSICAL GREEK PHILOSOPHY, SUCH AS THAT OF PROTAGORAS, WHO SAID THAT "MAN IS THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS." THE RENAISSANCE BEGAN IN FLORENCE, IN THE 14TH CENTURY, AND RAPIDLY, UNDER PATRONAGE OF DE MEDICI FLOURISHED AND SPREAD TO NEIGHBOURING STATES. SUCH AS MILAN.

The perfection of the human body is something that has kept artists busy for as long as we can remember. Michelangelo’s David, a Renaissance master piece is the perfect example. But so is Francesco della Vedova. This 21 years old personal trainer comes from Milan, one of the key cities in that ancient Renaissance, and seems to be the perfect embodiment of what Renaissance is all about. His special diet stand guarantee for his perfect body. And so does his 6 days a week gym routine. I sometimes wonder what is more difficult, sculpting yourself by working out and diets or creating a David from a block of marble.

As mentioned before, Francesco is a personal trainer but he does more than that. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise he’s a much sought after model which allows him to travel all over Europe. Hence he arrived in the Netherlands where he scheduled a shoot with Malemodel photographer Gert Kist. And of course, Gert immortalized him in his very special style that we have come to know so well over the years. 100% yumminess, that also comes with a making off video which you can see on Malemodel.nl. The photos here already show the diversity Francesco is capabale of adapting to. Underwear, fetish and – yes – nudes. No wonder he has such a great following on his Instagram account. –BM-

GERT KIST | BEAUTIFULMAG
FRANCESCO DELLA VEDOVA | BEAUTIFULMAG

 

Portrait of Ike

PIERRE-YVES MONNERVILLE WAS BORN IN PARIS BUT SPENT HIS YOUTH BETWEEN MARTINIQUE AND PARIS. YOU’D THINK THAT WOULD BE EXOTIC ENOUGH BUT PIERRE-YVES ALWAYS FELT THE URGE TO LIVE ABROAD AND SO HE MOVED TO BERLIN BUT EVENTUALLY SETTLES IN BRIGHTON, UK. NOT THE MOST COSMOPOLITAN CITY BUT THAT PROOFS ONLY THAT YOU DO NOT NEED TO LIVE IN A BIG METROPOLE TO DELIVER QUALITY ART.

When Pierre-Yves Monnerville was 15 years old he came across Mapplethorpe’s Black Book which got him hooked on photography for life. He is a big fan of Duane Michals, an American artist who often uses the technique of photo-sequences, and Jim French, a photographer also from the United States who, among others, was the creator of Colt Studios. And that pretty much explains Pierre-Yves quest to find out the difference between art and eroticism, if that even exists of course.

But what interest Pierre-Yves Monnerville most is representing the diversity of contemporary modern living and the changes in masculine imagery with regards to not just fashion but physical appearance as a whole. In other words, he is more interested in people’s feelings and love exploring what we have in common despite our superficial differences whether it’s loneliness, search for validation, love and companionship, etc. Hence the fact he always comes up with interesting photo essays, featuring equally interesting models.

One of Pierre-Yves favorite models of the moment is Ike. Ike is a personal trainer, a fact that, looking at his photos, probably doesn’t come as a big surprise. He originates from Serbia but is currently based in New York City. Ike has been through a lot of personal dealings but, according to Pierre-Yves, has kept his nice and warm personality. And thus, he makes the perfect model for Pierre-Yves Monnerville. He is one of those handsome guys who don't really understand why people keep asking him to model. Luckily he doesn’t mind being photographed and he’s not very shy either. What more to ask? It was the idea of the difference between Ike’s self-image and Pierre-Yves’ perception of him that gave him the idea to shoot Ike in front of a mirror. An excellent choice if you ask me. –BM-

PIERRE-YVES MONNERVILLE | BEAUTIFULMAG

BeautifulMag #237 April 2018 | Memories that are left behind

EDITOR’S LETTER

Celebrations. Fights. Walls that where orange. And later brown. And then green. Family that visited. Friends that came and went. The garden that changed from green grass to decorative flowerbeds. This weekend, we drove about 400 miles back north to help my parents move house. After a lifetime in the single-family house they rented not long after they got married, they now moved to an apartment. Considering the age of the old house, and the much-needed renovation that was promised 20 years ago and never came, it definitely is a decision I applaud. It’s spacious, its warmer and most of all, everything is at the same level without any steep stairs. But still…

One always says that you carry your memories with you, but yesterday, walking through the old house, now stripped of furniture and decoration, I started to wonder if that is really true. Because this empty house didn’t feel that empty to me. This house, where I moved in as a new born baby and which I left as a young adult, felt like a destination. Not just four walls with barren space between them, but a space filled with memories that will stay there because they are linked, anchored, to those walls. This is the house where I grew up from a toddler to the man I am today. This is where we celebrated numerous birthdays, but also where my siblings and me fought for things that seemed to important at the time but thinking back now, where so trivial. Many warm and cosy Christmas seasons passed here, including that one that saw the fully decorated three make a dramatic collapse to the ground. Cold winters in which we went ice-skating in the park. And warm summers in which we took out our inflatable boat on the lake in that same park. Cardboard houses I built in the garden with my friends, and, later, lazy afternoons I spent in that same garden, sunbathing and doing nothing. It was here that my father handed over his passion for music to me. And it was here where I discovered at young age my love for drawing and arts. It was here where my grandparents would visit at least once a week. Sometimes to help my mother sewing yet another carnival costume for me, sometimes on their way to the supermarket, even in the middle of winter, even though they lived on the other side of the city. And it was here when we received the dreadful phone calls announcing they had died later on. I remember offering to wax my mother’s new car, and using so much polish that we could almost not remove it anymore. I also remember that car being tossed after having served for many years, and me crying because I loved it so much. The feeling of helplessness that one moment in my life when I saw my father crying after his best friend died of a stroke. My happiness when my first puppy arrived, and my sadness when she died, 13 years later.

Walking through this house, I could feel the memories of moments gone. I could see the ghosts of the people who will never cross my path again. And it was difficult to close the door behind me for the very last time, because I knew at that moment I closed the door to many memories that will stay behind, linger a bit in the background but eventually disappear simply because they are rooted in that house, that home that I have known for all of my life. –BM-

Cover photography by Gert Kist.

BEAUTIFULMAG

Light & Shadow

I HAVE BEEN ASKED MANY TIMES WHAT KIND OF PHOTOGRAPHY I PREFER PERSONALLY. COLOUR OR BLACK & WHITE. IT’S A TOUGH QUESTION REALLY BECAUSE THERE ARE PROS AND CONS FOR BOTH. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER DOES IT. AS LONG AS THE LIGHT AND SHADOWS ARE WELL PLACED AND USED.

Perry Senecal, introduced by us by Crew Models International, lives and works in Montreal, Canada. He began his studies in photography at the University of Montreal and Dawson College back in 1977. It is during this time he discovered his passion for photography. A passion that has never left him.

Over the years Perry has specialized himself in portrait photography using both natural and artificial light. He’s a very hands-on man, meaning he likes to be involved in every step of the process. Yes he does work with an assistant and stylist, but Perry is very much involved in the details to ensure he gets exactly what he wants.

In his years of experience Perry Senecal has mastered the usage of lights and shadows. He loves to play with them, showing the models body’s different shapes and subtle nuances under different lighting, manipulated for the best results. Perry says the challenge and fun for him is to find new ways to make models even more beautiful than they already are. In essence, this is actually a very simple concept, using minimum clothing below ideal lighting to show the model's naturally amazing curves, lines, and shapes. Inspired by photographers from the 1950’s his dark backgrounds and his use of light and shadow show sensuality and elegance.

Today’s set presents us Kevin G. a model on roster with Montreal based agency Modèle LCP. Kevin is is a Certified Athletic Therapist and Personal Trainer which clearly shows in Perry’s light play. The images were captured in parry’s studio and in various areas around the building, so using both artificial and natural light. -BM-

PERRY SENECAL | BEAUTIFULMAG
KEVIN G. | BEAUTIFULMAG