In 2025, Artfineline will release SKIN, and Under. Evolving Young Machos, or Not.—a bold 200-page monograph showcasing over 180 photographs by visual artist Igor Mattio.
Meticulously curated, the book unveils Mattio’s singular ability to capture moments of raw emotional exposure and layered human complexity. His subjects—young adults suspended in quiet intensity—radiate a silent yearning: to be seen, understood, and, perhaps, embraced.
SKIN, and Under is a penetrating exploration of contemporary masculinity, tracing the fragile boundaries between toughness and vulnerability, surface and depth. Nudity here is neither performative nor provocative, but instinctive—a quiet, sensual presence rooted in naturalism and unguarded truth.
This work defies convention with subtlety rather than spectacle. It draws the viewer into an intimate stillness, prompting a deeper reckoning with identity, connection, and the fragile architectures of self.
Title: SKIN, And Under. Evolving Young Machos, or Not.
Author: Igor Mattio
Edited by: Artineline
Publication Year: 2025
SKIN. And Under transcends photography to become a visceral study of humanity. Mattio’s lens doesn’t just observe—it unveils, peeling back tattoos and bravado to expose the trembling pulse of youth in flux. These are not portraits but revelations: raw, tender, and achingly alive.
Here, nudity is neither provocation nor performance—it’s a language. The body speaks in truths too often silenced—of fragility, resilience, and the quiet courage of becoming. Every frame invites us not just to look, but to feel: the heat of vulnerability, the weight of stories untold, the sacredness of selves laid bare.
This is masculinity reimagined. Not as armor, but as honesty. Not as dominance, but as depth. SKIN. And Under doesn’t just challenge stereotypes—it dissolves them, revealing strength in softness, power in presence. A silent revolution bound in paper and ink.
SKIN. And Under challenges the very fabric of what we are taught to believe about masculinity. It forces us to reconsider, to redefine, to acknowledge that strength is not in the hardness of the shell but in the willingness to be soft, to be real. This work is not just a viewing experience; it is a call to empathy, a demand for a deeper, more compassionate understanding of the human condition.
Crafted with precision:
• 200 pages of arresting imagery in a hardcover with PVC jacket
• 180+ photographs reproduced with a sophisticated UV 4/4 tone process (2 blacks + 2 Pantones)
• Printed on 150-gram matte paper for unparalleled tactile depth
Limited Edition Artifact:
A select number of copies will be presented in a hard protective case, each containing a numbered silver gelatin print signed by Igor Mattio.
These collector’s editions transform the work into a lasting cultural object – where archival quality meets artistic legacy.
More than a book – a dialogue with permanence:
Between these covers, contemporary masculinity is both questioned and preserved. The standard edition captures the ephemeral truth of Mattio’s vision, while the limited edition encases it in silver and time – a tangible heritage of vulnerability made durable.
