DUSTY COOPER
Borne back ceaselessly into the past

My home state of Louisiana stands as both muse and battleground. Growing up a gay dancer in a small town in the 90s, self-expression was a struggle between revelation and concealment. In my latest series, I chart a personal odyssey as a gay man in an inherently hostile environment through swampy landscapes, my love for water, and the language of movement in nature and the human form. The dancers perform upon the waters that represent both freedom and potential, and risk and hidden danger. The dancers’ faces are obscured, a deliberate choice echoing the veiled truths and concealed authenticity that once shaped my reality. The dancers embody both male and female forms, with a preference for traditionally feminine movement to capture the shape and grace I aspired to showcase during my time as a husky male dancer. Through my photography, I aspire to create a visual narrative of the profound beauty of my home and my own struggle with identity.

BACK TO GALLERY