Men-ups! is a project by Rion Sabean featuring men in traditional female pin-up poses. 'My photography ranges between two different ends of a spectrum, both of which are held as just as important as the other. One half is overt social commentary, with most works focusing on gender and sexuality, wherein I attempt to bring light to the scrutiny and judgments of a society that defines human beings under rigid, antiquated terms...
The other half of my photography is rooted in deeply personal subjects relating directly to myself and my shared experiences with others, sexual or otherwise, in both an attempt to release and cope, but also to demonstrate an emotional side that exists, but is rarely seen by others.
My productions are not only an exploration of my craft, but are presented as a hyper-pseudo-reality that uses exaggerated story-telling and overly sensuous imagery to convey their respective messages. By using dramatic staging, props, and Photoshop technics, I hope to further demonstrate a hyperbolized reality; one that is just as comedic, tragic, endearing, beautiful, or outrageous as the real world is to me. The creation of these alternate worlds within my images is an attempt to jostle the viewer into both a deeper understanding of the metaphorical social and emotional implications therein, as well as just how possible it is for singular events or persons to shape modern society and those around us.'