RIOEROTICO

This collection of vibrant new photographs is a testament to the eroticism of photographer Otto Stupakoff's native country, Brazil. A blend of cultures -- African, European, and Latino -- Stupakoff's Brazil is a land of tight, tanned flesh, vivid tropical flowers, dripping fruits, and, most of all, the youthful, relaxed sexuality of the people. By capturing his subjects in moments of joyful sexual abandon, Stupakoff's photos strike a refreshing balance between the erotic and the playful. A former fashion photographer for magazines such as Vogue and Elle, Stupakoff takes an unstudied, almost voyeuristic approach to his subjects here. He incorporates both the posed and the unposed: in one frame, a beautiful girl on a train stares intently at the camera, while in another a man and a woman share a wild and naked embrace atop a rocky landscape. The result is a collection of images with the lush detail of a fashion layout, the intimacy of a Nan Goldin portrait, and the impression of everyday people photographed with journalistic verve. Complete with poetry taken from Brazilian literature and popular culture, this visual narrative perfectly captures the spirit and allure of Rio -- the women, the men, the sexuality, the joy, and the beauty. It is more than just a book of photographs -- it is a love letter to Brazil.