"Salted Razors" Portfolio (omg sooo emo)

[DSLR noob]

OK I think its important to point out that there is a severe difference between "emo" kids and people who actually have real mental issues which cause them to self-destruct, etc. The audience this photo was aimed at is obviously one in which it is "cool" to wear dark eye make up to make yourself look more depressed and uber tight jeans for God knows what reason, and it's cool to cut yourself, etc.

I don't think salted razors is an appropriate title. Adding salt to the wound is a case where the cutter needs to feel more pain. My girlfriend who used to do this needed the pain to mask problems with her parent's arguing all the time. She is borderline anemic and has low hemoglobin levels. This would cause her to blackout. she had to get professinoal help and was treated for months. Occasionally she still gets the urge to hurt herself and results in biting the inner lining of her lips. What got her to stop hurting herself is what these pictures make fun of. She stopped because her friends noticed she was getting attention and became "poser emos" who cut themselves to get this said attention. this sickened my girlfriend and she finally stopped.
THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS AND TOUCHY SUBJECT THAT YOU SHOULDN'T TOUCH UNLESS YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT IT.
I Think Abraxas and I have made our points.
You can seriously offend some of us and did a good job hitting soft spots linked to our loved ones.

 

[nealjpage]

So, changing the title is gonna calm everybody down?

 

[DSLR noob]

So, changing the title is gonna calm everybody down?

I think that it shouldn't be a subject of photography all together, but yes, a title adhering to the emo lifestyle rather than a broad self destruction title would be less offensive. My girlfriend jokes that she used to be emo, but really, she didn't do the steryotypical lifestyle at all. Try a title like "Posing as a poser emo" or something else if that sounds too lame. Self mutilation is a very serious subject.

 

[shorty6049]

did anyone stop to listen to themselves?? this is ART. Art isnt always politically correct. Art isnt "nice" . Art is whatever it wants to be, and however this photographer wants to show it to you and however they want to title it is up them. I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the infamous "p.i.s.s Christ" by Anres Serrano, that evoked a lot of controversy, much like this piece of art. You don't HAVE to agree with it, but don't you think its a little hypocritical what everyone is doing? Art is about self expression and freedom of speech, not playing nice with everyone and making sure not to offend anyone. This is probably one of the LEAST offensive pieces of offensive artwork i've seen... sorry to go off like that, but this arguement is going in circles

 

[nealjpage]

did anyone stop to listen to themselves?? this is ART. Art isnt always politically correct. Art isnt "nice" . Art is whatever it wants to be, and however this photographer wants to show it to you and however they want to title it is up them. I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the infamous "p.i.s.s Christ" by Anres Serrano, that evoked a lot of controversy, much like this piece of art. You don't HAVE to agree with it, but don't you think its a little hypocritical what everyone is doing? Art is about self expression and freedom of speech, not playing nice with everyone and making sure not to offend anyone. This is probably one of the LEAST offensive pieces of offensive artwork i've seen... sorry to go off like that, but this arguement is going in circles

:thumbup:

 

[neogfx]

Art is an expression of one's feelings and opinions. If someone has feelings about this kind of subject, not just this particular one but any 'touchy' subject, then when they portray their opinions through their artwork some people are bound to get a bit narked. As shorty said above, this is not an isolated piece of controversy. Artist's have been using art to point out what they think is wrong with the world for thousands of years. Controversial art, and indeed controversy itself, is a part of our everyday lives, and although not everybody will agree with it you must remember that it is only the artist's point of view at the end of the day. It is no more right or wrong than the opinion of the person viewing the artwork.

 

[nealjpage]

Holden Caulfield was the genesis of the emo movement. Discuss.

Now, back to the photograph, without the caption I have trouble knowing that you're commenting on the emoness that seems to be pervading (sp??) popular culture. Maybe I'm old-school, but I was always under the impression that art, especially photography, is supposed to speak for itself without the artist having to explain things...

 

[shorty6049]

yeah, my take on it, is that it looks somewhat emo, but i'd never guess that it was intended to poke fun at the lifestyle, but how can you make a photo poke fun at something that already looks sorta funny... ya kno? if someone dresses all in black and walks around looking like that, it'd be hard to tell if they were actually that way, or just making fun of it, unlike a man dressed in an ape suit , (where you'd KNOW he wasnt actaully a monkey...) does that make sense?

 

[cherrymoose]

I say his left cheek is blown out.

 

[lkavaney]

I still stick by my opinion that the models pose is off, he needs some real sadness in his eyes to pull it off he doesn't look sad to me. The idea is growing on me for sure but get the model to work on his sad look please.

 

[cherrymoose]

I still stick by my opinion that the models pose is off, he needs some real sadness in his eyes to pull it off he doesn't look sad to me. The idea is growing on me for sure but get the model to work on his sad look please.

So you're another supporter of people posing to be emo? What if someone was posing to be a person of a different race? It's pretty much the same thing.

 

[shorty6049]

not exactly though. emo is more of a choice in the sense that the photographer is trying to show, and also, i'd sort of like to see something like you mentioned emma, i like controversial art, it makes you feel something other than "oooo, pretty picture" , wouldnt you agree?

 

[cherrymoose]

not exactly though. emo is more of a choice in the sense that the photographer is trying to show, and also, i'd sort of like to see something like you mentioned emma, i like controversial art, it makes you feel something other than "oooo, pretty picture" , wouldnt you agree?

Yes, I do agree, and I also like controversial art-- but don't you think a picture of (no offense to anyone, I'm just searching for an example) a white person posing to be an African American by wearing lots of 'bling' and putting their hair in dreadlocks would spark some debate similar to this?

 

[shorty6049]

well, yeah, i'm SURE it would, i was just saying that i dont know if its necessarily wrong to do, just un PC. I think people are maybe being a little overly sensitive about it though, because its only art, and people are letting their personal experiences and feelings judge whether its appropriate or not, and i dont think that those things should be what tell you if art is good or not.

 

[lkavaney]

well there is a difference between emo and mentally ill. I have suffered severe depression and mental illness that is no laughing matter! Emo however in the vast majority is a fashion statement, its dark clothes, sad faces, SH wounds because its "cool" it is very popular at the moment to be emotional, appear deep and meaningful but unfortunately self harm seems to have become a trademark for these kids, in the same way that a chav will sport a tracksuit and bling an Emo will wear his/her battle wounds as proof of conformity. At first I was upset by the image I just thought of the truely depressed, those that really need help, however on 2nd inspection this is about Emo'ism not depression. If it was serious then its not sensitively approached enough but its not.

Its not the original posters fault he didn't create the Emo trend, hes just documenting it.

Another comparison I suppose is fashion on the side of what most people would consider mainstream. Girls are being told that size zero is the only size to be so they are making them selves ill to conform, thats no different to an Emo SH'ing to conform.