CREATIVE DIRECTION, STYLING, + PHOTO:

Marco Cornejo

@marcoacornejo

MODEL:

Kylee Graunitz

@kyleegraunitz

Affection and the ways that we show affection that are beyond the ‘norm’. Identity always plays a big role in all of my work, and as I continue to grow into my identity and slowly discover more about who I am, I still struggle with certain aspects of it. I am very proud of being gay, and the identity of being gay isn’t the struggle, but the romantic side of it can be. I always wonder what will happen if I'm affectionate in public or with my family, will I be treated differently? Will I ever be comfortable showing affection in public without fear? I’m worried that I may not even know what to do in a romantic relationship. But, love is supposed to be sacred, especially in queer spaces, as many of us are familiar with the term ‘love is love’.  I want to explore this idea of ‘sacred affection’, by having people show affection to inanimate food objects. In the majority of cultures, food is sacred and needs its own form of respect. It’s nourishing, filling, and satisfying, just like what love and romance should be. But, affection can also be frustrating, exhausting, and anxious. Taking the food out of its normal setting, such as the store, or on a plate, and having it intimately interact with a human subject might challenge the ways we view affection and make us question the ways we show our affection.

Sacred Affection