By Chris Heide
What does fearless mean to you? It is an absence of fear? Or is is walking through fear with humility, courage and vulnerability? This is the very thesis that McCade Dolan discusses in his newly released book, Fearless.
A body of work years in the making, Fearless is a collection of photography from Dolan, one of Seattle’s foremost photographers. For Dolan, the release of his book is a dream come true.
“With every collaboration I’ve done over the course of my career, I have always had it in the back of my mind how great each one would fit into the grand scheme of things in the form of a book; this book. What you have in your hands are different fragments that make up the sum of me. I’ve dreamed of putting together a project which would piece together art with emotion and spirituality.”
Fearless is a breathtaking collection and a testament to the career of Dolan. At over 100 pages, the book features several years worth of photos, each imbued with Dolan’s signature perspective and style; a style that is resoundingly evocative, emotional and complex. The images included in this book help to highlight Dolan’s theme of fearlessness; each image he chose seems to capture a raw vulnerability with each of the subjects.
Also included in the book are several essays, penned by some of Dolan’s most frequent collaborators. These deeply personal essays touch on addiction, gender fluidity, self actualization and physical abnormality. All of these essays profoundly highlight the idea that surviving and embracing the intricacies of life are defining qualities of being fearless.
Fearless is a triumphant success. It is filled with emotionally raw visuals, soul crushing narratives and a deeply beautiful view of the human soul. Simply put, the book truly is fearless.