May 24th, 2019 in Shanghai, China
Perceptions of prostitution have varied across cultures and generations. While some view it as a form of patriarchal exploitation, others approach it as a type of empowerment; the latter being a valid choice for those who freely decide to pursue it.
David Rodriguez’s meditation on this subject is tripartite. Miniature portraits of the business cards that slide under room doors are an invitation to look closer and get closer. A second part, inspired by the portraits of artistocrats of preceding centuries, functions as a filter and deconstruction of the first. A final portion punctuates the tension of the other works, but drives us to intimacy of any woman, her sex, her explorations, and her room.
While society will continue to discuss the place of the prostitution, Rodriguez does not intend to reflect on the morality of it. Rather, he delicately and respectfully portrays the beauty of the women behind the trade.
