Model Does Black Face for French Vogue, Artistic of Offensive?

Ask the model to leave the make-up on forever . . . then see her reaction.

 

"Whiteface" is nothing whatsoever like Blackface. No Black person ever put on white makeup as a part of a propaganda campaign designed to maintain a status quo of inequality by portraying white people as slightly less than human.

Unless I somehow missed that happening somewhere. ;-)

 

the photographer is American so he knows the implications of blackface and more than likely aware of the social definition of what if means.
Overseas, black face is not as controversial for a number of reasons but the main one being unawareness of ethnic conflict outside of the european experience. Europeans don't have Jim Crow, 1 percent, brown bags, Nigger= beast. Americans- USA- primary history with blacks is one of antagonism, where as European history has a history multiple layer of engagements that were not mainly white. This not to say that they are not prejudiced and do not mistreat other ethnic groups.They see much of this as novelty.There is also much more a mixture of admiration/exotic fetishism and bigot stereotyping of blacks.
It was an attempt at artistic expression but it falls into the tradition of the other interpreted by the european asthetic. It does not celebrate africanness, it interpreteds it. It is a case of she looks good even in garb, like those actresses that don the scifi makeup to look like a green alien or a blue fairy.
This dutch model is a contrast. It's not artistic copliment. It's an artistic exultation of what is underneath the black makeup.

So yeah i find it is a bit disheartening and yeah it is artistic.

 

Quoted for emphasis!! Why not just hire a black model? This is not a good look for the fashion industry especially now with all the controversey surrounding about designers refusing to hire nonwhite models. If I were an entertainer like Beyonce, Halle, Naomi etc I would'nt wear the clothes of designers who refuse to hire nonwhite models. I think there should be a list compiled of who these designers are, so that the public can be made aware, hit em in the pockets.

 

do you really think with a body like beyonce that she wears ralph lauren, marc jacobs, armani, versace, donna karan etc...beyonce has her own clothing line and sports her own designs...i hardly think that a few black entertainers are going to make a big enough statement to boycott a designer...i think that what boll onin mentioned about europe vs. states when it comes to what is politically correct is closer to the truth than we realize...anything and everything is up for public opinion these days...it's the american way