From Cubicle to Climax: Jhoan Giraldo’s Journey Into Erotic Art
Photographer Jhoan Giraldo reveals the sinful art of seduction in his book “From Sin to Light.”
Photographer Jhoan Giraldo has lived in Medellín, Colombia, his entire life. A city he describes as conservative on the surface but morally conflicted at its core. "It's a very conservative city when it comes to bodily expression, yet flooded with prostitution and drugs," he says.
That tension between societal morality and bodily autonomy has shaped his identity, personally and artistically.
Growing up in a low-income neighborhood, Jhoan attended public school, where he was fortunate enough to embrace his sexuality at an early age with the support of his family and friends. "I've always been transparent and direct about my erotic and romantic preferences," he says. "And having that privilege — one many don't have — I had total freedom to explore my body and the bodies of other boys my age.”
But even with that early sense of personal freedom, he was acutely aware of the double standards around him. "In Medellín, it's acceptable for older men (usually drug traffickers) to date underage girls — but two men holding hands is seen as a sin and total perversion." That contradiction, he explains, is what pushed him toward art and ultimately led him to photography.
Creation > Corporation
Jhoan first picked up a camera at age seven, thanks to an aunt who worked professionally in photography. "It was love at first sight," he says. But despite his early intrigue, it would take years before photography became his career.
After high school, Jhoan studied graphic design before working in a municipal government office — a job that left him unfulfilled. "Office work wasn't for me," he says. "I had a strong desire to make a living doing something I was passionate about." So, like many millennials yearning for a purpose beyond his office walls, Jhoan quit his job and committed to pursuing photography full-time.
To pay his bills and invest in gear, he began working as a webcam model — an experience that helped lay the foundation for his career. "As you might expect, my first clients were webcam models," he says. "So unlike most photographers who start out with social or product photography, I began my career shooting nudes."
That foundation — one built on eroticism, resourcefulness, and curiosity — continues to define his work today. "I'm very curious," Jhoan says. "That's why, for example, when I'm capturing an ejaculation, I don't just stick to the typical medium shot. I have to get closer to capture something so fleeting in as much detail as possible while still keeping it aesthetic."
No More Chains
His first book, "From Sin to Light," was a deliberate study of erotic intimacy and physical expression. "It's the visual proof of my exploration of the male body and moments of pleasure," Jhoan says.
While the project was always intended to rebel against sexual repression, he recognizes now that his work was created with self-imposed limitations. "Back then, I believed that an erotic photo, no matter how explicit, wouldn't be considered pornographic if it was in black and white," he admits. "But today, I realize I was censoring myself."
In retrospect, by choosing black and white, Jhoan subconsciously leaned into a long-held belief that monochrome imagery is more artistic — and therefore more acceptable — inadvertently reinforcing the standards he set out to challenge.
The project's original concept was ambitious: 222 nude models, three photos each, for a total of 666 images to be displayed on the floor of Medellín's Metropolitan Cathedral. But when finding many willing models proved nearly impossible, the project pivoted. Jhoan eventually began selecting and expanding on the strongest images, allowing himself greater creative freedom.
The result is a collection that blends erotic realism with formal experimentation. Some images are explicit, while others are more restrained — but all focus on the body as subject, not object. "I wanted the book to show a more diverse range of bodies," Jhoan says. "However, most participants had hegemonic or commercially appealing physiques."
That doesn't mean the work is glossy or commercial.
That balance between eroticism and artistry remains his priority. "If the images in this book stir any kind of feeling or sensation in the viewer, then my job is done," he summarizes. "But if the viewer also finds something aesthetic in each image, then I'd be happy to know I'm not the only one who thinks an ejaculation can be beautiful."
Now, Jhoan is working on a second book — one he says will include more color, detail, and texture. He's also exploring a new dimension of his creative identity: turning the camera on himself. "While it's not an artistic exploration per se, it is an exploration of my body — how I enjoy it and how others enjoy watching me."
As he continues photographing pleasure on his own terms, it isn't just about provocation; it's about liberation.
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