Racism, artistic brilliance, or coincidence?

[Fiendish Astronaut]

http://gawker.com/5004715/time-for-leibovitz-to-confess

I had thought this was a fuss about nothing. But when you look at the images side-by-side, it's pretty obvious that Vogue's latest cover featuring James LeBron and Gisele Bundchen is indeed a sly homage by Annie Leibovitz to King Kong. In fact, the references by photographer Annie Leibowitz to one image in particular, identified earlier this week by a tipster to Jezebel, are unmistakeable. This First World War army recruitment poster—urging loyal Americans to destroy a "mad brute"—features a Kong-like gorilla with a right arm holding a weapon and a left gripping a virginal white beauty. It's much like the position basketball star LeBron assumes on the Vogue cover.
Veteran Leibovitz, the go-to photographer at Conde Nast titles such as Vanity Fair and Vogue, has still not acknowledged her inspiration. (Portfolio's Jeff Bercovici, in an inspired journalistic move, actually thinks to put in a call.) But Leibowitz is known for borrowing iconic imagery from old movies.
Let's assume the Vogue cover was indeed an homage to the xenophobic wartime poster. There's nothing so reprehensible about that: it's a photographic commentary on the ancestral American fear of black men, an interesting and provocative idea.
But here's the real question. Had the magazine knowingly intended to begin a debate about racial imagery, it would have at least devoted some text to the issue, and demonstrated awareness of the controversy it was inviting. Instead, Vogue seems to have been caught unawares. Did Annie Leibovitz gloss over her cover concept in order to get it past the generally conservative Vogue editors? If so, they're going to blame her for the mess in which the Conde Nast magazine finds itself.

 

[RMThompson]

Interesting. I certinaly don't think Leibowitz nor the magazine can be accused of any RACISM. It's also certinaly NOT coincidence.

Is it BRILLIANCE then? Maybe. The iconic images certainly are moving, but there is a sly difference in the pictures that really changes the idea.

In the first image the "Kong" is HOLDING the woman, capturing her. In the new image, her feet were on the ground, indicating that she is in control. Furthermore she is facing the camera, smiling, and NOT in distress.

 

[Tasmaster]

Racial imagery? This is hillarious. The US didn't fight "black men" in WWI, they fought the Germans. Unless LeBron is of german ancestry, there is nothing wrong with this cover. No doubt this is inspired by the WWI poster, and it is successful in paying homage.

Racism here is only in the subconscious of people who think that there must be a racist undertone because there is an ape and a black man. This reminds me of [URL="http://www.southparkzone.com/episode.php?vid=408]that great South Park Episode[/URL].

 

[Puscas]

Ok, but why is nobody protesting that Gisele has pulled her dress up much higher up than the woman in the original picture....what kind of homage is this.


:mrgreen:




pascal

 

[confucious]

If you want to take it a step further...let's put most of the meaning in the bloodied, much used, club in the Apes hand. You will notice it says "Kultur" - meaning culture. What this implies is the "beast" is killing, and has killed, with it's culture (club). Who is it killing? Why, white culture, as is implied by the captive white woman. The threat of this ape and it's culture is further emphasized by the caption "Destroy this Mad Brute".

Now - translate this into the recent "white & black" image - the club is directly represented by the basketball. Basketball is certainly a very "black" sport in North America, no doubt about it...it is very much a part of Black culture. So - if indeed there was a relation, is the photographer saying that contemporary black culture is killing white culture? Is she/he suggesting "white culture" has something to fear...that it should "Destroy this Mad Beast"?

Seems like an "Uh-oh" to me...will be interesting to see what happens

 

[ScottS]

If you want to take it a step further...let's put most of the meaning in the bloodied, much used, club in the Apes hand. You will notice it says "Kultur" - meaning culture. What this implies is the "beast" is killing, and has killed, with it's culture (club). Who is it killing? Why, white culture, as is implied by the captive white woman. The threat of this ape and it's culture is further emphasized by the caption "Destroy this Mad Brute".

Now - translate this into the recent "white & black" image - the club is directly represented by the basketball. Basketball is certainly a very "black" sport in North America, no doubt about it...it is very much a part of Black culture. So - if indeed there was a relation, is the photographer saying that contemporary black culture is killing white culture? Is she/he suggesting "white culture" has something to fear...that it should "Destroy this Mad Beast"?

Seems like an "Uh-oh" to me...will be interesting to see what happens

Interesting interpretation.

Its a picture...

Oh and it looks like the girl isnt in any distress at all. :er:

Just silly...

 

[Phranquey]

Racism still exists, it is a sad fact. But THIS??? C'mon.

I am getting pretty tired of people calling things racist at the drop of a hat. It's getting to be the "crying wolf" syndrome, and when it is for real, it no longer gets the true attention that it should because people are getting sick of hearing about it.

 

[confucious]

Oh and it looks like the girl isnt in any distress at all.

AAhhh - but maybe that's the creator's point - it's not through brute violence that the "beast" is destroying "white" culture, but through the domination and "dilution" of the race..the old "they're stealing our women". The woman indeed looks happy - is the happy union of white and black the beast that threatens "white society"?

Hehehehhe - Everything I am pointing out COULD be read into this - so could a lot of other things. I do not seriously think this was the intention at all - but given the two images, it takes mere minutes to draw the parallels. Thought I would add an interesting view to an interesting topic :er:.

 

[Alex_B]

actually, she looks happy, and he looks like screaming in pain .. as if she just stomped on his feet.

So my interpretation is that the image on the right hand sinde actually depicts a black man suppressed by a white female.

he is so in pain that he even dropped that ball.

 

[Iron Flatline]

I can't believe how big his feet look in those sneakers next to her little feet.

 

[Emerana]

So to me it does look like she used this as inspiration and my take on it is this...racist? I dont know...I wouldnt jump to that conclusion. But if I were that guy I would be totally bummed people thought I looked like that scary monkey

 

[Socrates]

Sure it's racism and she should file a law suit... A big law suit. I've had enough of whites being belittled in the name of art.

 

[Alex_B]

oh, and coming back to the comparison of the two images. I cannot see any inspiration. both poses are quite different in many aspects, and also both are very cliche and very far from anything unusual. They are not special poses but very common.

You could easily find lots of unrelated images, put them side-by-side and then say 'ohh, it is pretty obvious'

 

[MX962]

This realy tires my mind!Now we have to consult a lawyer on composition and subject matter,I realy wouldnt read to far into this,I have to agrea with Alex B

 

[GeorgeUK]

Looks like there are number of individuals out there with time on their hands and nothing to moan/complain about.

had thought this was a fuss about nothing. But when you look at the images side-by-side, it's pretty obvious that Vogue's latest cover featuring James LeBron and Gisele Bundchen is indeed a sly homage by Annie Leibovitz to King Kong.