My brother, River, is almost a year older than me. He’s outspoken and loves a good debate. When discussing with him over the Barbie movie in the summer of 2023, our conversation quickly spiraled into topics about the patriarchy, masculinity and how accurately (or to his defense, inaccurately) Greta Gerwig could encapsulate the innumerous representations of this system.
What struck me the most was the mention of his hesitancy to be as vulnerable with women as he would be with his male friends. Baffled by this, I instinctually rejected what he said. “There is no way”, I repeatedly told him. I only realized soon after that I was actively proving his point by questioning what he was choosing to share with me. With this initial shock in mind, I began to think about the way I absorbed modern masculinity in the media. I came to realize all the fingers that were being pointed at men from all sides: for being power hungry, for not having enough money, for being too emotional, not emotionally intelligent enough...
Seeking to understand further the nuances surrounding this cultural shift in masculinity, I resorted to the experiences of young men I met here in Paris. Shift is composed of 10 portraits in the bedrooms of the different individuals I spoke with. My interest was to hear about the ideals these men might have been raised on, contrasted with this new wave of expectations that is underway.
