As a Spank certified* art critic, the duty falls to me to review the 2014 Acting Outlaws calendar. Let us not delay any more and dive right in, shall we? As an advocate of the black and white aesthetic, I must note that the limited chromatic range gives a more simplistic sophistication to this calendar in comparison with the 2013 edition that cannot escape the stranglehold of modern color consumerism. The cover of this 2014 calendar juxtaposes the soft, smooth flow of Katee’s light hair and airy attire with Tricia’s wild angular waves and tight to the body vest while still declaring the beauty of both figures with their equality of primacy.
With regard to the issue of content, we move into January and February with their divergent handling of light. January’s use of highlight and shadow to bring the viewer’s gaze to the shoulder, collarbone and eyes against the busy background reflections is in direct contrast to February’s entirely black background that creates a spotlight effect on the foregrounded face and the reductive quality of the hot white light. The exploration of the montage elements in March brings these two faces together in perpendicular perspective. The sublime beauty of the purity of line threatens to penetrate the essentially transitional quality.
I find April and May playful because of the optical suggestion of the sexual signifier visually and conceptually activates the subconscious mind without inherent over specificity. In April the direct gaze, and open body posture are confident and daring, a challenge to the viewer while the parted lips and fringe of hair that partially obstructs that almost menacing gaze making the subject more accessible and beckoning the viewer to engage. May however does not invite to the viewer to participate but instead to watch. The gaze is down and the posture is closed off with the arms crossed in front of the body as if to protect herself from the viewer’s site but she smiles in her private story.
The aura of the summer heat notated by the desert background and subject attire is brings within the realm of discourse the intrinsic hotness of Katee Sackhoff and Tricia Helfer. Yeah, okay, so these ladies are hot and it had to be said. I didn’t have a snootier artsier way of saying that but seriously, they risk setting the page aflame!
July demonstrates the iconicity and internal dynamic of the sexy fish paradigm. It should be added that the subaqueous qualities of the pose spatially undermines the potential indecency of the nudity. While the gaze in July is direct and challenges us to see impropriety in its elegance, the gaze in August is cast back over the subject’s shoulder and asks us to empathize instead of judge. The distinctive formal juxtaposition is completed by the coyness of gesture. A long and lovely line begins at the timidly lowered chin, along an elegant neck and down a curving back. The strength of this line against the apprehension of the gaze and gesture suggests the subject may have been surprised by the presence of the viewer.
September fractures the pattern of difference in the images. In previous month pairs or dual subject images there has been an element or theme that contrasts the women. In September, however, the spatial relationships and use of repetition verge on codifying beauty in the minds of the audience. After this repetition in September we see a month pair full of similarity in October and November. Both images are soft and unchallenging with a sense of vulnerability. The metaphorical resonance of the figure narrative contextualizes the devious simplicity of beauty.
The muted tone of December evokes the impression of beauty carved out of stone. It is smooth, complex, strong, elongated, angular, intimate, flowing…. Okay, I’ve been caught again in my falsehood. When confronted by the level of perfection seen in the December photograph, the pretext of art critique fails. Are there really words to express such beauty? I think not. So instead, you should just buy the calendar through the Acting Outlaws Store or Red Bubble so that you can have 13 images of astonishing beauty in your hands and to display as you please.
* a self-appointed title that should not be taken to signify any education in the field of art criticism beyond the assistance of Pixmaven
