SILK DUST
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Matthew
ART DIRECTION
Matthew Costello
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Matthew Costello
SILK DUST
RAYYOUNG STEPPED INTOTHE POOLTHATDAYUNSURE OFWHATITMIGHTFEEL LIKE HER FIRSTTIME BEING PHOTOGRAPHED ONANALOG FILM,AND HER FIRST TIMETOPLESS IN FRONTOFTHE LENS.ATTHE BEGINNING,THEREWASAQUIET HESITATION,THE KINDTHATCOMESWHENYOU PUSHYOURSELFINTO SOMETHING UNKNOWN.
BUTASTHEWATER SETTLEDAROUND HERANDTHE FIRSTROLLS OFFILM CLICKED INTO MOTION,THE NERVES BEGANTO DISSOLVE. RAYFOUND HERSELFINASTATE OFRAWHONESTY, STRIPPED OFPERFORMANCEAND EXPECTATION.WHAT STARTEDAS SOMETHING STRANGEAND UNFAMILIARTURNED INTOALIBERATING MOMENT—ACHANCETO SIMPLYBE HERSELF, UNFILTERED, UNPOLISHED,AND FREE.
LATER, SHE SMILEDAND SAID HOWMUCH SHE LOVED IT. HOWREALITFELT. HOW REFRESHING ITWASTOJUSTFLOATNUDE INTHE POOLAND LETTHE CAMERASEE HERAS SHETRULYWAS.
THIS SERIES ISACELEBRATION OFTHATDISCOVERY:VULNERABILITY TRANSFORMING INTO POWER, CAPTURED FRAME BYFRAME ON FILM.
BEHIND THE LENS MATT COSTELLO
I DON’T JUST TAKE PHOTOS I CHASE FEELINGS. THE GRAIN, THE BLUR, THE MISSED FOCUS,THEY’RE NOT FLAWS, THEY’RE FRAGMENTS OF TRUTH. I SHOOT ON INSTINCT. ON BREATH.
MOST OF THE TIME, I’M DRAWN TO WHAT CAN’T BE STAGED THE SILENCE BETWEEN POSES, THE SOFTNESS JUST BEFORE SOMEONE LOOKS AWAY. THIS WORK ISN’T ABOUT PERFECTION IT’S ABOUT HONESTY.
AND IF YOU’RE HERE, READING THIS, THEN MAYBE YOU FEEL IT TOO.
MATT