Red Walrus for '(not) Naked with Masks' by Ben Hopper
Red Walrus
I met Red Walrus at parties, events and festivals I went to around London and the UK.
He was a lovely playful flamboyant character - an obvious contestant for my 'Naked with Masks' project.
When I wanted to photograph more men for the project, he was one of the first I got in touch with.
The mask we used was a mixture of a funky psychedelic walrus headpiece, with his face covered by a fuzzy red wig - both owned by him.
We tried a few different spots and angles around one of my favourite locations in London; 'Nature's Throne' at the Middlesex Filter Beds Nature Reserve.
Completed in 1990 and constructed from huge granite blocks that were once the foundations of the Victoria Engine House, 'Nature's Throne' is an artwork by local artist and sculptor Paula Haughney. It's also nicknamed London's very own Stone Henge - 'Hackney Henge'. It sits in a wetland making a lovely place for contemplation in a busy city.
Red Walrus, the model, asked to remain anonymous. Here he's standing on one of the granite blocks, wearing a kimono that's just barely covering his genitals.
July 6, 2015. Middlesex Filter Beds Nature Reserve, Hackney, London, UK.