A Prayer for the Wild at Heart
Tennessee Williams's little known quote, "A prayer for the wild of heart, that are kept in cages," is the inspiration for a mesmerizing photo series that captures the essence of untamed spirits yearning for liberation. "A Prayer for the Wild at Heart" invites viewers into a world where the primal and the poetic collide in a dance of raw, unbridled emotion. Each photograph features a solitary dancer adorned with an animal mask, leaping, twirling, and contorting their body in an extraordinary display of movement and passion. Through the lens of the camera, Charles Michael Davis, captures the ephemeral moments when the human spirit casts off its societal constraints and embraces the untamed wilderness within.
Gorilla's Parable
In this captivating triptych, inspired by Louis de Caullery's painting "Christ and the Two Thieves at Golgotha," a dancer concealed behind a gorilla mask narrates a journey of transformation and redemption. The gorilla mask represents societal pressures and racial roles, serving as a metaphor for the masks we all wear. In the first panel, embodying Saint Dismas, the dancer signifies the potential for growth and redemption, breaking free from societal expectations. The central panel, with the dancer as Christ, transcends racial imagery and emphasizes universal sacrifice and spiritual growth. The final panel, as the rebel thief, symbolizes defiance and resilience against predefined roles. "Gorilla's Parable" invites contemplation of identity, societal constraints, and the enduring nature of racial bias within the context of the gorilla mask's symbolism.