To Look Without Fear, feat. Frank Ocean

Wolfgang Tillmans once said, “I take pictures to see the world”. His experimental, extensive exhibition To look without fear encompasses a wide range of arts and subjects: from constellations of astrological snapshots to collections of cameraless darkroom images, Tillmans explores the transiency of human nature. His early works beginning in the 90s are characterized by unposed, unreserved shots of his colleagues and friends, frequently capturing moments from contemporary social movements. His works detailing changes across cultural hotspots like New York and London serve as important documentations of social dynamics in 90s and early 2000s culture. Vulnerability, melancholy, and intimacy often exist in tandem as central themes of his pieces spanning from abstractions to portraits. Tillmans operates under his belief that “If one thing matters, everything matters”, a sentiment that is echoed across his photographs. He derives inspiration from everyday scenes, like the easy simplicity of his own bedroom, and intricate beauties, like the close-up face of the moon. These are displayed in equal value and importance in his exhibitions: His showcases often seize opportunity within the gallery space itself, where the pieces are arranged in displays that contract and expand into the walls of each different location, photographs stretching from floor to ceiling and playing with dimensions that emphasize the individual. This concept of visual democracy makes his emotion-driven photographs even more powerful, and Tillmans encourages his viewers to “...enter [his] work through their own eyes, and their own lives”.

The political undercurrents in his images are motivated especially by his portrayal of queerness: Tillmans himself is openly gay, and the focus of many of his unique photostudies is sexuality and the self. His media cuts into the core of queer culture, portraying it in a sensitive, intimate light. One of his most recognizable works in this style is the cover of Frank Ocean’s album, Blonde, where Ocean stands with his recognizable green hair against white tile with water streaming off his skin. A creative and talented singer-songwriter, he is known for his distinctive R&B sound and striking lyrics. In many ways, Wolfgang Tillmans and Frank Ocean have aligned their artistic interests: they both use art as a medium for self-expression and to capture the shifting world around them. 

Frank Ocean is an icon in the music world: experimenting with different techniques to create new soundscapes and producing songs for other famous artists, he cemented himself amongst music industry stars. Ocean frequently addresses the issues he faces in his songs: for example, he references drug abuse and his former addiction in many songs, including Novacane, Crack Rock, and Lost. He also expresses his personal identity through his discography: his sophomore album Blonde focuses on reflecting back on his past, filled with nostalgia for his youth while thinking about love and heartbreaks he’s experienced. The second song on Blonde, ‘Ivy’, is thought to be about his first love, and in other songs like ‘Bad Religion’ he speaks on the pressure he feels as he grapples with the conflict between his sexuality and religion. Additionally, in ‘Forrest Gump’, he speaks to an unnamed love interest while saying “You run my mind, boy”. Ocean sings about love, culture, memory, and spirituality, his work memorializing his state of mind in the 2010s and connecting to many people with his blunt talent and skillful storytelling, unafraid to tell honest and personal narratives. Ultimately, Frank Ocean has mastered channeling the emotions twining with the innate human spirit into music, much in the way Wolfgang Tillmans captures fleeting life in a delicate, unique lens.