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Italian
Vogue’s US Oil Spill Theme Photos & Article: Tastefulness Divisive
By
Joanna Douglas - August 7, 2010
Vogue Italia
A new 24-page fashion spread in
the September issue of Italian Vogue features model Kristen McMenamy wearing
oil-soaked black feathered outfits, withering away on a beach. Famed
photographer Steven Meisel shot the controversial Gulf disaster-inspired images
of McMenamy caught in nets, spitting up oil, and flopping like a dying seal on
rocks. But while the images are powerful and striking, we're left wondering
whether they were done in good taste.
Vogue Italia
Without question the photographs are beautifully constructed, and
overwhelmingly dark. They bring about a sense of urgency that makes you want to
educate yourself, donate money, or help in clean up efforts. But we do question
the intentions of Italian Vogue, and whether or not they wanted to make a
poignant statement or merely hoped to get attention by being provocative. We
reached out to Italian Vogue for comment, but have not heard back as of press
time.
Thus far there is one piece of evidence that leads us to believe this project
had a positive objective. The seaweed-style necklace on the cover of the issue
(and in several other shots) is made by eco-designer Kathleen Nowak Tucci of My
Sister's Art, and made from recycled inner tubes sourced from the
[Photos: Haunting images from the Gulf spill]
Vogue Italia
Here is what the fashion world is
saying about the provocative photo spread:
"Glamorizing this recent ecological and social disaster for the sake of
"fashion" reduces the tragic event to nothing more than
attention-grabbing newsstand fodder." - Refinery29
"It's at once beautiful and revolting, eye-catching and alienating. So
what is it: ballsy fashion journalism rooted in reality, or just a sick
glamorization of a traumatic event?" - New York
magazine's The Cut
Vogue Italia
"While the irony of
using clothing worth thousands of dollars that was probably flown halfway
around the world for the shoot is not lost on us, we can’t help but think that
if this isn’t art, we don’t know what is." - Styleite
"Context is everything, and instead of being moved emotionally, the only
actions that seem right in reaction to this inappropriate spread which aims to
shock and awe are a wrinkling of the nose and a rolling of the eyes." - Jezebel
"For fashion Meisel's photos don't give you much to take away, but as art
the imagery is poignant and intense. And we like to occasionally be reminded
that it's possible for fashion photography to be so." - Fashionising
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