No Holes Barred, 1983-85

No Holes Barred is my first photographic body of work and explores sexuality, in particular my own. The series consists of self-portraits and portraits of friends staged with a variety of homemade props such as shaped and painted clay, body casts, and foodstuffs including cucumbers (here, carved in the shape of penises), grapefruits, and broken eggs, which are themselves laden with symbolic meaning. The process of constructing these photographs was intuitive and playful, but also summoned memories of earlier moments, painful moments of hurt, and the challenges inherent in connecting to one’s own sexuality.