For his series ‘Boy Story’, Copenhagen-born photographer Magnus Arrevad traveled around the world capturing striking images of male burlesque performers.
Shot over five years in New York, Paris, London and other cities, the intimate black-and-white photographs depict his subjects during their most vulnerable moments.
Fascinated by the underground world of “go-go dancers, male porn stars, boylesque and circeulesque” where men shed their strait-laced day-time identities for provocative night-time personas, he ventured into smoky clubs and grimy basements to satisfy his curiosity.
Speaking to BuzzFeed, Arrevad said he was intrigued by their nightly routine of applying make-up, and wanted to “document this process of liberation.”
“One of the key things I explore is the range of male performers and male identities—which are all and always fluid,” explained the photographer of his inspiration for embarking on his project.
Describing their work as “scary”, he hopes the photographs will resonate with viewers and let them know that “one is never alone in the world”, regardless of their sexual identity or otherwise.
Scroll down for some images from the series.
[via BuzzFeed, images via Magnus Arrevad]