Are The New Gisele Bündchen Ads Racist?
Posted by: Wendy Atterberry
Filed in:
news
9:30AM, Thursday May 7th 2009
A new photo series shot by Norwegian fashion photographer Sølve Sundsbø, featuring Gisele Bündchen and a crew of super-buff, super-naked, super-dark-skinned male models, is causing a bit of an uproar online. Over at Project Rungay, a commenter wrote: “wow, those photos are fierce. can’t tell if the guys are her slaves or if they’re raping her. interesting race dialogue. the first photo is super sexy.” At Racialicious, they’re “wary of the color contrast idea in fashion photography,” explaining that “darker skinned minorities always seem to end up as background color.” Commenters there questioned why Gisele is clothed and the men aren’t, and wondered if the race and gender issue would be the same if the series featured a black female with white male models (sounds like a Janet Jackson music video circa 1990). Some worry these types of photos reinforced the antiquated idea that white females are adored by everyone, especially black men. Others suggest without the charged racial and gender stereotypes, the photos would be mediocre at best. Personally, I found these issues more provocative when Robert Map[lethorpe addressed them in his photos in the early ‘80s. This isn’t a question of gender and race, but, rather: “Are artists running out of original ideas?” What are your thoughts? [Click after the jump to see more of the photographs.]
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MissChaotic
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 10:13 am: [report]
Technically, she can be considered Latino because she’s from Brazil.
But yea. Art is art. At times, art can be controversial, but to say the least, if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t be interesting enough to pay attention to.
Perceptible
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 10:21 am: [report]
I think they’re kind of cool. The visual contrast is interesting. And race aside, all the bodies are gorgeous. Seems like controversy for the sake of controversy.
mdtobe
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 10:54 am: [report]
The shadowing in the last photo is amazing. I actually pay less attention to Giselle in these pictures than the guys she’s modelling with…so much for “background color”.
snap
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 11:35 am: [report]
yeah, they look like adoring slaves.
but what really jumps out at me is how close gisele’s face is to that guy’s ass in the first photo. that looks a little too close for comfort.
Naneenya
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 11:37 am: [report]
I think the photos are beautiful. Do I see racism? Absolutely not. I see gentle, mutual respect between the men and woman in these photos. Of course, there are more photos in this series - some that are absolutely breathtaking.
resullins
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 12:13 pm: [report]
I think that if people want race issues to go away, they need to stop inventing them in the first place. If someone wants to be equal to another person, the worst thing they can do is say “You HAVE to treat me equally.” Just BE equal. Sorry… rant over. I think the pictures are nice…
robertsmithshairspray
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 12:55 pm: [report]
@Resullins, I agree completely.
Am I the only person who looked at that first picture without seeing the headline, and just saw a man and a woman?
Oliveira
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 01:43 pm: [report]
Those are GORGEOUS pictures, and I believe the racist undertones are in the heads of those who scream “racism”. There’s nothing disrespectful about those. They are beautiful, beautiful images—I love the contrast between the dark and light skins of the models.
Also, I agree with mdtobe
Those guys are SO not “background”.
wild-ting
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 04:33 pm: [report]
Photo two the contrasts of color and light and dark makes for a wonderful photo. The men literally look like they are carved out of ebony…BEAUTIFUL. I agree art sometimes can be controversial. I didn’t see “racism” but I can understand the view of those who might see that, however, I don’t believe that is the intent.
wild-ting
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 04:35 pm: [report]
P.S. Giselle who? She fades into the background
emflow
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 07:09 pm: [report]
I’d be a lot more interested/impressed if they were exploring racial issues or power dynamics rather than leaving them as a subtext. I feel like there’s a lot of lost potential, at least in these photos - maybe the rest of the shoot is more impressive. Not that they aren’t beautiful photos, but the message I’m getting is “Fashion!”
TotallyRidiculous
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 08:47 pm: [report]
Sounds to me like people are reading things into these photos that aren’t there. They are seeing what they want to see. I think they are lovely photos. The men look more gorgeous that she does! She looks bored and blank. It doesn’t look like they are her slaves or like they are raping her. The first one looks like their going off to have some hot nookie, and I’m jealous. The last two don’t look sexual at all. Nothing sinister is happening here, or at the very least, everyone is being objectified equally. What is wrong with pointing out that black people and white people have beautiful, contrasting skin? And as far as the men being naked: she’d be probably be naked too if they could get away with it, but then people would call it porn.
develange
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 08:59 pm: [report]
if we’re pulling the “race” card, why not argue black men are objectified/hypersexualized? instead of being part of “the background.”
but I don’t think it’s racist. It’s a blank slate upon which racism could be put…but…oh well. Those guys are hot and so is Gisele.
In the first photo, maybe they are going off for some hot consensual lovin’ sex!
ClatieK
wrote on May 7 2009 @ 09:16 pm: [report]
I definitely see the use of racial stereotypes. Those who deny that, well… I can’t help ya.
retro chic
wrote on May 8 2009 @ 12:34 am: [report]
Did I mention in about 3/4 of my posts that I like chocolate? Do you remember the “naked people as furniture” ads a few weeks back? It feels like an extension of that trend, but more interactive and provocative. My impressions are as contrasting as the photos—both hot and chilly. A living light and shadow study that only works in Black and White photography—and subjects. They’re very beautiful and novel, but objectified somewhat ‘cause of the stilted poses, however suggestive. Like others said, people see what they want to see, race, gay or whatever. I don’t, necessarily, (similar to Develange’s blank slate), no matter the director’s intent. I take beauty where I find it. There’s so much litter out there.
mountaingrrl
wrote on May 8 2009 @ 07:34 am: [report]
WHAT THE F*&K;!?? WHY CAN’T IT JUST BE A PICTURE WITH SOME SEXY DAMN PEOPLE IN IT???? DO WE HAVE TO DESTROY EVERYTHING WITH SOME TYPE OF RACIST/DEROGATORY OPINION?? p.s. I think EVERYONE in these pics are hot!! grrrrroooowwwwlllll!!!
resullins
wrote on May 8 2009 @ 08:45 am: [report]
@ClatieK: If you’re the one looking at pictures and seeing nothing but race, why do WE need help? If you’re the only one seeing racial issues, which of us are the racists?
This is nothing more than a study of light and dark, shadows, etc. To create a study of light and dark, you have to have LIGHT AND DARK! They are just people in a picture. Not black people, not white people (and Gisele isn’t technically WHITE, btw), just people.