Making FACE

I have posted my new image FACE for the month of May.

This photograph was shot on location at the home of my friend Roger Ramjet. Roger is a mythic figure in the local Kansas City art scene. He is making his own house, by himself, out of scraps left over from construction sites. He is an urban Robinson Crusoe.

The skinless mask was made by my genius friend Jason Coale. He cast our model Kalen in Algenate and plaster, and sculpted the face out of clay before recasting it in Dragon Skin. He painted the skin-tight mask with Psycho Paint. Kalen was amazingly zen during the claustrophobic casting process.

The monster is portrayed by my brother-in-law Tom Beggs, who also recently played the lead in UNCLE SAM. I love working with Tom. He is game for anything.

I was assisted by my other brother-in-law and alter ego Felix Mercader, who you can see working behind me. We only refer to each other as Klaus. I am Klaus No.1 and he is Klaus No.2. He was, in fact, my first photography teacher back in the 90’s.

The victim is played by photographer Kalen Compernolle, who was my only intern and has been my friend since she was 17 years old. She has been a recurring actress in several of my projects.

The little girl is played by my daughter and current headliner Chloe, the star of PHOBIA, CANDY, and my upcoming film BLACK LULLABY. Chloe is an amazing actress. Out of concern for her mental well being she was photographed on set separately from the murder scene. She is still an innocent!

I used taxidermy eyes and Billy Bob dentures for the teeth. My mom and my sister Sarah helped me sew lace onto the monster’s apron and gloves.

This image was photographed on a Hasselblad with a PhaseOne back loaned to me by my friends and sponsors at Digital Labrador in Kansas City. The full size print is life-size with infinite detail. You have to see it in person to believe it.

Come back next month to see an image of a man eating his own arm!