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These images act as evidence that fashion photography can not only be used to evoke desire from the viewer but aspects of this niche can be transferred to a broader sense of fine art photography to acknowledge cultural issues that exist at the time the photographs are taken. At a first glance these images exude fashion photography, the lighting used, the background and even the camera angle, however these photographs are not about the clothes the model is wearing, they are about the colour of his skin.
To be oblivious about the issues facing racial inequality, particularly in the states right now, is to be oblivious to the world. The Guardian states that 183 black people have been killed by the police in the US this year and photographer Pande has captured the effects of racism in this shoot. In addition to this Pande has also managed to photograph subtle racism. The banana is a fruit which originates from tropical regions in which the people of these places are non-white, by painting and depicting the fruit as white, Pande has successfully portrayed how our majority white, western society neglects the origin and history of other cultures which we have used to develop our predominantly white countries therefore creating ignorance among white people to other cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
Boatman holds a gun to his own head whilst tears fall down his face, displaying what initially appears to be a suicidal subject however this acts as a response to the previous image of the racism subtly placed in our western culture which portrays the repercussions institutionalised racism has on an individual. The gun immediately responds to the police's brutality towards non-whites, as if the people dying at the hands of the US police are doing it to themselves.
A man crying is not unseen in fine art photography, Sam Taylor-Johnson published an entire series featured on this, Crying Men, 2004, however even today it is powerfully used. Due to the expectations of masculinity in our society it is still an unusual sight to see a man break down with emotion, this emphasises the fact that the subject has been broken by our racist society,leaving him exposed and vulnerable as his life is threatened and his culture is taken away from him.
Upon immediate viewing these images appear to be from the niche of fashion photography, the lighting is soft which beautifies the model, the photos are minimalist and clean, this is what causes the viewer to look at them, the sophisticated message of racism is what engages the viewer provoking a thoughtful reflection on our societies values.
To be oblivious about the issues facing racial inequality, particularly in the states right now, is to be oblivious to the world. The Guardian states that 183 black people have been killed by the police in the US this year and photographer Pande has captured the effects of racism in this shoot. In addition to this Pande has also managed to photograph subtle racism. The banana is a fruit which originates from tropical regions in which the people of these places are non-white, by painting and depicting the fruit as white, Pande has successfully portrayed how our majority white, western society neglects the origin and history of other cultures which we have used to develop our predominantly white countries therefore creating ignorance among white people to other cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
Boatman holds a gun to his own head whilst tears fall down his face, displaying what initially appears to be a suicidal subject however this acts as a response to the previous image of the racism subtly placed in our western culture which portrays the repercussions institutionalised racism has on an individual. The gun immediately responds to the police's brutality towards non-whites, as if the people dying at the hands of the US police are doing it to themselves.
A man crying is not unseen in fine art photography, Sam Taylor-Johnson published an entire series featured on this, Crying Men, 2004, however even today it is powerfully used. Due to the expectations of masculinity in our society it is still an unusual sight to see a man break down with emotion, this emphasises the fact that the subject has been broken by our racist society,leaving him exposed and vulnerable as his life is threatened and his culture is taken away from him.
Upon immediate viewing these images appear to be from the niche of fashion photography, the lighting is soft which beautifies the model, the photos are minimalist and clean, this is what causes the viewer to look at them, the sophisticated message of racism is what engages the viewer provoking a thoughtful reflection on our societies values.
