J. Carino

J. Carino is interested in the interactions between people and nature, and how the creation of our sense of self is connected with the natural world. Carino’s work depicts monumental nude, queer figures in landscapes that are both idyllic and tinged with danger. It wrestles with ideas of traditional fertility and queer intimacy. Queer people are often not afforded the luxury of "permanence" in society, and are viewed as "unnatural". In J’s work, the figures become a part of the landscapes on different scales of time: the fleeting lives of wildflowers, the multi-decade life of the agave and trees, and the eternity of the mountains. This work expresses the idea that there is a “naturalness” to nudity, to sexuality, and to queerness that is as elemental a component of the landscape as are the rocks and trees. Through a mixture of self-portraiture and drawings from models, the bodies and faces undulate through the landscapes and bring the different parts of Carino together on the canvas.

Check out Carino’s work below!

J. Carino - Instagram

J. Carino - Website