Anne and Dario

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Dugan met Anne in 2019 when they attended the photographer’s portrait workshop at the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, MA. Anne is also an artist, and the two kept in touch, with Anne eventually becoming an assistant, friend, and portrait subject to Dugan. Dugan has photographed Anne and their partner Dario individually and together on numerous occasions. Dugan shares these details: “Anne identifies as queer and nonbinary, and Dario has some fluidity around sexuality though I am not sure it's an outward part of his identity. He is a very gentle person, and is very content with quiet and solitude—he lives on a sailboat and sometimes spends long periods of time sailing alone… This is my most recent portrait of them, and I made it in Santa Fe, NM, when I was there in fall of 2023 for an opening. This was at the Airbnb where they were staying. Though this isn't normally how I work, for some reason I had this pose in my mind before the shoot. When I walked in and saw the bed with beautiful light and almost monochromatic color (something I love), it came together very quickly. It did not take us long at all to find the portrait and I was absolutely thrilled with it. I love the gentleness of Dario's gaze (I have always thought he is particularly beautiful) and the fact that Anne is obscured behind him. I also love the interplay of their hands- the position and gestures of hands is something I have always paid very close attention to.” The artist adds: “I am such a sucker for bed photos. I didn't make any for a few years because of the pandemic and it was so lovely to return to them afterwards. People lying in beds comprise a significant percent of my work.”