Modern masculinity and nature through a lens: Inside the work of photographer Paul McDonald
"Some people see a therapist for their mental health, for anxiety. For me, the camera is a therapeutic tool – a very personal tool – and it has been from a young age"
Photographer Paul McDonald’s latest series Things I Wanted to Say – but Never Did explores masculinity and vulnerability through arresting nude portraits of men. It is now the subject of a BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! zine. Here, the artist speaks to Attitude Uncut about on his creative journey, and how nature helps him process mental health. To read this article in full, check out Attitude Uncut: Interviews in full on Apple News+ and the Attitude app now. BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! Zine No 6 featuring Paul McDonald is available from boysboysboys.org or from BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! Gallery Café London.
“Placing the human form in a landscape is such a natural thing to do. Swimming nude in the ocean nude, for example, is so beautiful and refreshing. But the reality is, we’ve broken away from nature, from connection. Historically, in paintings or architecture, you’ll see human form connecting to land.
“It’s something that, coming to Australia, with the First Nations history here [the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples] – the connection to land is so important.
“The history, the grief and the loss of the land. It sounds crazy but can real feel that tension in the land here.
“Some people see a therapist for their mental health, for anxiety. For me, the camera is a therapeutic tool – a very personal tool – and it has been from a young age.
“That happens more with the landscape work. For example, one of my closest friends took their own life. I went out to into nature and photographed the landscape. It helps me process it.
“I’ve actually done that for a few people. I don’t tell people which images they are.
“Here in Australia, for many years I’ve ran workshops with men using photography as participatory programmes with universities and mental health organisations. What I’ve done is, under the supervision of therapists – because I’m an artist, not a counsellor – teach men how to tell their stories using photography.
“They use the images they’ve created to discuss with their therapists their mental health.
“I’ve done projects where I’ve asked groups of men questions about masculinity, mental health and so on, from which we’ve created huge storyboards about how they want to be seen. Then I take portraits based on those storyboards which have then been used those in exhibitions.
“I’ve lived in Sydney for the last 26 years. I’m originally from Liverpool. I took a year off to go travelling, ended up in Syndey, met somebody and never left.
“My father’s a photographer. He taught me from a young age. I actually went to college to do fashion for a couple of years, then ended up in Barclays bank doing business and finance to pay off student debts.
“That’s one of the reasons I got into Australia. I was able to get a business visa with my business background. But working high pressure corporate jobs, making money for other people? I was like: ‘No.’
“The catalyst for going back into my photography practice, full circle, about 16 years ago, was being bored in my job at a big arts organisation. I was working as the Associate Director of Australian Centre for Photography for a few years. I was photographing on the side, but as an enthusiast. I realised: ‘It’s time’.”
To read this article in full, check out Attitude Uncut: Interviews in full on Apple News+ and the Attitude app now.
BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! Zine No 6 featuring Paul McDonald is available from boysboysboys.org or from BOYS! BOYS! BOYS! Gallery Café London.