Crying Men – Sam Taylor-Wood (1st edition)

Crying is oftentimes taken as a sign of vulnerability, an openness with one’s emotions to the world.
Images of men crying are scarce, and when we come across them, our perceptions of manhood are challenged.

Sam Taylor Wood seeks to challenge common notions with portraits of famous actors in their most fragile state. The men featured have been at the forefront of contemporary cinema, and in their leading roles, they have often eschewed tearful performances in favor of gritty realism.

Taylor-Wood explains about Crying Men: “Some of the men cried before I even finished loading the camera, but others found it really difficult. People can decide for themselves which they think are the authentic tears and which they think are fake. It’s about the idea of taking these big, masculine men and showing a different side”.

Robin Williams, Tim Roth, Laurence Fishburne, Daniel Craig, Ed Harris, Gabriel Byrne, and Robert Downey, Jr. are among the group who participated in Taylor’s project.