Power and submission, control and dominance, pain and transcendence–these are the themes that resonate in these images of people in bondage paraphernalia. As Western culture moves away from a community of shared beliefs and organized religions, to a more antiseptic global society something is lost. What is removed is the sense of belonging, reflected in the loss of rituals. We no longer have the clearly defined rights of passage that provide initiation into a shared belief system. For some, bondage becomes a new community and a framework for new beliefs. The work in Equal=Secret Identities traces its origins to religious iconography, societal subcultures, and the relationship between photographer and subject. Photography has always had the power to reveal our hidden selves.

 In these portraits by Josue Castro, the sitter’s identity may be physically hidden from us, but a greater secret is revealed. Given the opportunity to choose from a selection of bondage gear each person makes his or her individual statement. Opening us to a lifestyle with its own rules and defined roles, these images force us to confront the true meaning of bondage, with its darker side of interpersonal relationships and the transforming benefits of pain. In all of Castro’s work his sensitivities are with culturally charged imagery and indigenous protocols. His artwork is thoughtful and intelligent, the result of his careful research and his openness to exploring challenging ideas. Deborah Klochko Director Museum of Photographic Arts