“Devotion or dalliance, eyes sometimes meet in a sultry stare. This fleeting moment—an eye fuck—signifies a shared, spontaneous gaze into the gaping abyss of desire. For its part, New Orleans has a long, fertile history with eye fucking, as love and as a lure. In the early 1900s, photographer E.J. Bellocq captured Storyville sex workers peering through his lens with inviting eyes. Now, in a new exhibition on Magazine Street, artist Alexis Nunnelly presents paintings, works on paper, custom clothing and handmade masks that shine a light on this touchless sensation of barefaced desire. Curated by Ryan Leahey, “Eye Fuck” opens Saturday, May 13 2023, at Perch. Champagne will be served.”