Odiseo Vol. 5: (Not) Safe for Work
Folch Studio’s sophisticated take on adult entertainment pairs essays on art and culture with artful nude photography
Since our initial introduction to Odiseo just over two years ago, we’ve been hooked. With each volume, the sophisticated adult publication delivers thought-provoking texts and essays on subjects ranging from art and culture to existentialism, interspersed between sections of artful nude photography. Published as an independent venture by Barcelona-based Folch Studios, Odiseo is expertly laid out and well-designed. Entitled “(Not) Safe for Work” and released today, 8 January 2015, Volume 5 continues the modest publication’s bold legacy of being unpredictable, entertaining and though erotic by nature—never distasteful.
Eschewing the black-and-white-photograph-with-paint-splatter template laid by the first four volumes, a bright and beautiful painted portrait by artist Ángela Palacios (who also contributed to Vol. 3) graces the cover of Vol. 5. And, as an ode to the conventional newsstand nudie mag’s conservative paper sleeve cover, the latest volume comes hidden in a brown bag. Here, alongside a written abstract of what’s inside, you’ll find the familiar paint-splattered spine from previous volumes.
The volume opens with a photo essay by Pol Agustí. In it, a handful of male and female nude characters explore an equal number of landscapes, shot in both black and white and color on what appears to be 35mm film. The lengthy section is followed by an insightful text on the topic of humor within fashion by Laura Gardner, which is then followed by a photography project by Arnaud Lajeunie, and so on. This style of repetition continues seamlessly across 100 pages of the limited edition publication.
Luis Cerveró’s views on the work of late photographer Sam Haskins caps the volume, exploring the difference between nude photography and erotic photography and how Haskin bridged the two. To see and read it all for yourself, visit Folch Studio online where the Odiseo Vol. 5 sells for €17 including shipping.
Images courtesy of Folch Studio
