Metart ‘Presenting Patsy A’

Patsy A ‘Presenting‘ by Rylsky

Patsy A is posing in a narrow room, something of an enclosed patio, in which an entire wall is composed of windows. I’ve seen this space, or at least one very much like it, in another Met Art

Met Art contributor Rylsky is among the most prolific artists on the roster. He’s so prolific that he recently launched his own eponymous site on the Met Art Network, RylskyArt. But this gifted photographer isn’t simply productive, he’s also extremely versatile and is constantly experimenting with new styles and approaches to his projects. Indoor, outdoor, stylized, naturalistic, complex, or simple, Rylsky is always trying something new and different, and here he does just that with a new model.

“Presenting” Patsy A brings to mind two other Met Art photographers. The simple set design and lighting scheme recalls Alex Sironi, and I say that in the most complimentary way. He’s draped a large piece of white, semi-sheer fabric over a low chair and positioned it against a soft, white backdrop — clean and simple. Likewise, he’s dressed Patsy A in just one item — a cream colored crocheted sweater that both conceals and reveals at the same time. But there are also echoes of another erotic stylist here, and that’s Tony Murano. You won’t find the moody, nocturnal, candlelit theatricality Murano so often employs, but the explicit images — and they are abundant — that Rylsky has created here have a similar bold, vivid, almost lurid, quality that fans of Mr. Murano’s work will recognize — and, I expect, thoroughly enjoy.

For a first time model to eagerly pose for so many powerfully erotic and explicit photos speaks both to her confidence and strong sense of self. There are models who will never appear in so many bold and revealing images over the course of a career, so I can only praise Patsy A‘s willingness to commit herself so completely in her erotic photography debut.

You might have guessed that my favorites in this series are explicit images, and you’re at least partially right. Shots like #041 and #042 glisten with erotic energy, for example. And the close-up #114 has a powerful “you are there” quality I relish. But there are demure images, and fine ones, in the collection, as well. There’s a quiet, still beauty in #008, a non-nude. #027, a tame but tempting rear view with an over-the-shoulder glance, is enhanced by the black & white treatment. Patsy A’s graceful, shapely body is beautifully presented in #105. There’s a painterly, dreamy quality to #111. And towards the end of “Presenting,” we find #115, a casual yet confident pose and a simple and effective composition.