Butch|Butcher

"The dog with the longest leash has the strongest master."

Tim of Zetland, June 1997
Photos courtesy of C. Moore Hardy/Starfish Studios

this project appeared in blue 12, december 1997: page 18

hooKed

Snapped in June of this year in a meatworks and a leather dungeon in inner Sydney, "Butch/Butcher" is both a word play and a visual pun. Photographed by C. Moore Hardy, the idea came from Sue-Ellen Cox of ethel yarwood enterprises. Cox explains the concept behind the carcass: "I'm a bit leather myself and I was interested in how what we wear controls how we are perceived. I was turning the leather scene on its head. They can take themselves a bit too seriously sometimes so it was done with a degree of sarcasm."

Sydney-based Hardy has been shooting mainstream and gay scenes for the past 10 years and her work has appeared in blue 03 and 04. "I enjoy collaborating with other people on projects. In this case I shot was was essentially Sue-Ellen's idea."

The juxtaposition of boy and beef is not a new one but in this double-take, the seamlessness of the send up is a visual coup d'etat, and an affectionate ribbing of the leather community.

TEXT: alex craig

credits: C. Moore Hardy, Tim of Zetland, Manny & Sue-Ellen Cox