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it's a gimmick, in the way that putting neat pictures and words on the bottom of your skateboard so people will buy it is a gimmick.
it is not a gimmick, in that it's a genuine representation of this person's (Dill) esthetic and artistic sensibilities.
Sure it's kind of trashy, but we're not in wet willy territory here
Not to be combative, but I think using tragedy as an opportunity to make one's self look interesting and hip while simultaneously making money off said tragedy/personality marketing campaign is WAY more trashy than some sad cartoon graphic meant to appeal to seven year olds at Walmart.
I was referring to Dill's artistic sense as being trashier/more disposable in nature than McKee's: underexposed selfie vs. skillfully drawn and coloured illustration.
The comparison I was trying to make, was about marketing. Wet Willy seemed clearly to be the result of trying to sell boards to as many kids as possible, regardless of whether they skated. With this Dill graphic, of course he hopes it sells, but it seems in line with FA overall artistic direction, rather than being a market-researched grab at mainstream success. I just don't think any focus group would tell you that kids are wanting this in their stockings. Impeccable fuschnikens reference btw
This graphic really bothered me. The way everyone is co-signing this is equally bumming me out.
The picture is heavy, no doubt. But to market it for sale is something else completely.
I understand the reasoning that if something moves you negatively then it's eliciting a response and that's better than being boring, or having no response etc etc; but that's often a fucking cop out.
I back their prerogative to do whatever they want artistically, but still think it's a shit move.
true. But I don't think it is in this case. Some healthy, young, white hipster getting a profile pic in front of the burning towers is a powerful and evocative image, a sign of the times and pretty prophetic. It's like a .gif of Nero (another famous egomaniac) playing the fiddle while Rome burns. That would be some serious viral gold, it'd be autotuned and everything.
I sympathize for real with 911 survivors, friends and family
I sympathize with this girl too, trying to survive in an Afghani refugee camp with 3 more decades of destruction coming her way.
American Photo magazine says the image has an "unusual combination of grittiness and glamour" (Wikipedia).
I think they are referring to the way the shadows make it hard to tell if she has dirt on her face, and the paradox created by the rich texture of her torn clothing.