Why this photographer wants everyone to kiss

Why this photographer wants everyone to kiss: Andrea Martí's Vision of Modern Romance Sandego.net – In the "Snap" feature, we explore the impact of

Seeking Connection Through Kisses: Andrea Martí’s Vision of Modern Romance

Sandego.net – In the “Snap” feature, we explore the impact of individual photographs and document the creation of both contemporary and historical images. Beneath shimmering red decorations and within the soft illumination of nightclub ambiance, six pairs of young lovers embrace. Each couple appears absorbed in their private moment, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a timeless cinematic scene. The setting—a retro wooden interior—adds warmth as the participants close their eyes and hold each other close.

Photographer Andrea Martí orchestrated this intimate gathering at a classic London nightlife venue. Her intention was to capture genuine longing. The resulting photograph belongs to her collection titled “Everyone is Beautiful and No One is Horny,” a name borrowed from a viral 2021 essay examining how modern blockbusters feature increasingly flawless leads yet lack romantic tension.

“Everyone has beautiful bodies in the media, but we’re seeing all these hot people and there’s no tension here,” Martí explained during a video conversation. “There’s no desire, yearning, anything.”

She created this series during her graduate program at the University of the Arts London. Her research consistently pointed toward studies indicating that Generation Z engages in less sexual activity, avoids traditional dating, and experiences greater loneliness compared to earlier generations.

“I don’t like to make general assumptions,” she noted. “I think some communities are more sexually open, but I think from my experience, there is a general sense of loneliness, and an inability to connect with other people.”

According to Martí, a fundamental problem stems from what she calls perpetual optimization. Society demands constant self-improvement—tracking nutrition, maintaining appearances, building careers—leaving little room for sensuality.

“Everyone wants to be tracking their calories and looking great and having successful careers and there’s no time for sensuality,” she explained. “This is something that I return to in my work, which is sensualism as an ideology.”

Creating Intimacy at the Working Men’s Club

The Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, originally established as a social gathering space for men and now hosting drag performances, burlesque shows, and disco events, served as the perfect backdrop. Martí requested that all participating couples share a kiss during the session. She discovered these couples with assistance from casting director Melisa Ozcolak, after initially posting flyers on campus and across online platforms.

Using actual couples rather than professional actors brought an authentic sense of love and familiarity to the photographs. Martí had been discouraged by the prospect of hiring actors after receiving responses primarily from older men to her online casting calls, which detailed the day’s activities.

Challenges inevitably arose. Some participants unexpectedly ended their relationships before the shoot. “I was like, come out with your partner or your situationship, and some people canceled on the day of the shoot or a couple days before because they were no longer together,” she remembered.

Over eight hours, Martí captured the couples who attended throughout the venue. She photographed them in stairwells, doorways, and bathed in crimson lighting as they lost themselves in passion. The location struck her as a living time capsule, featuring worn tile floors, a stage bordered by an oversized red heart, and festive tinsel decorating the walls.

“It’s slightly disgusting,” she said with laughter. “I didn’t realize it had so much history, and it is such an iconic place.”

Nostalgia Through the Female Gaze

Martí’s photographs embrace nostalgia through multiple layers. She incorporated 1960s fashion elements, referenced Tom Wood’s iconic 1980s photographs of teenagers at clubs, and drew inspiration from her mother’s memories of evening outings.

“I remember my mom talking to me a lot about how back in the day they would go clubbing and they would play slow music at the end of the night for people to slow dance,” she recalled. “I think it was like trying to recreate that moment.”

Through Marilyn Monroe viewed through the female perspective, Martí’s work celebrates sensualism as both personal expression and cultural commentary. Her images invite viewers to reconsider how modern society’s obsession with perfection may be distancing us from genuine human connection and the simple, powerful act of kissing.