<p class="p1">Perhaps some of you were able to see the photographs on the VICE website before they were taken down. I had only been able to find a few out of context (without captions), and so reserved my response until I could get a copy of the print edition, which I have now done. I think I am somewhat informed now to discuss it. </p>
<p class="p1">Purely aesthetically, I would like to say that these are beautifully arranged and photographed images. They are dramatic, and evocative. They do not seem to me exploitative, or at least not in a way that is inconsistent with any other contemporary art. </p>
<p class="p1">Most importantly they are depictions of tragic events, with any narrative enforced only by the small caption stating the subject and a brief line about their death. For example, for Woolf the caption reads:</p>
<p class="p1">
</p><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);border-left-style:solid;padding-left:1ex">VIRGINIA WOOLF, 59<br><i>Born: January 25, 1882<br></i><i>(London, England)<br>
</i><i>Died: March 28, 1941<br></i><i>(Lewes, England)<br></i><i>Cause of death: drowning</i></blockquote>
<p></p>
<p class="p1">Kimberly, you had said the spread is being used to sell fashion. This is really not the case. Although this series is indexed in the magazine under "Fashion", I think that is an incredibly subjective term, and the general intention of the magazine needs to be considered. This is not a commercial fashion magazine. The entire tone of VICE is artistic and/or experimental (I don't know of many other free national publications that devote entire issues to contemporary fiction). It should not be considered along side Cosmo and the like. </p>
<p class="p1">It seems the primary reason this spread bothers most of you is that the clothing designers are specifically credited for the examples of their work that appear in each photograph. Let me clear up that these credits are minimal, and provide no information on how or where to buy this clothing. It is no more an advert than any other credit is an advert of the contributor. Clothing design is a valid medium of artistic expression, and it seems to me these designers were credited as artists, just as the models, stylist, and photographer were. There is nothing explicitly for sale in these photographs. </p>
<p class="p1">Let me put it another way. The clothing we wear, often overlooked, is an essential part of our existence. Every shirt, dress, or pair of pants you put on was designed and made by someone. Should a designer of something not rightfully be credited for their work if the thing they designed is for sale? Or do you all consider "fashion" too flippant a form to be taken seriously? Or, conversely, should no one involved in a particularly heavy subject be credited at the risk of distracting from, or devaluing their own work? (The film "Apocalypse Now" was originally shown without opening or closing credits for this reason--but it is a rare instance).</p>
<p class="p1">If the distaste is that the images use the theme of suicide as a point of interest, I am reminded of a recent experience I had. Last year I attended an exhibit at the New York Public Library that included some Woolf artifacts. One item was a diary. Another was her walking stick. Interestingly, the exhibit made particular note that the walking stick displayed was the one Woolf had with her when she walked into the River Ouse the day she killed herself. I wonder what additional enticement the curator felt describing the item by its final use would create. Was the simple fact that the walking stick was owned by Virginia Woolf not enough? Was some additional allure manifest in its passive connection to her suicide? I don't know the answer to this, but I also do not remember anyone being bothered by it. </p>
<p class="p1">Greg</p><br><div class="gmail_quote">On 18 June 2013 19:55, Jean Mallinson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:annaj@telus.net" target="_blank">annaj@telus.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div text="#000000" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
I'm glad it was taken down but the apology shows a failure to grasp
jut how deeply offensive the whole scheme was. It is a kind of
suicide porn and suggests a very depraved taste. It made me feel sad
and angry.<br>
Jean <br><div class="im">
<div>On 6/18/2013 1:24 PM, Melanie White
wrote:<br>
</div>
</div><blockquote type="cite">
<div><div class="im">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Apart
from VW, the characters in The Hours were fictional, and
VW’s death was decades ago, whereas Iris Chang’s family and
loved ones probably are still very much processing their
grief over her suicide. The image of her was breathtakingly
insensitive and offensive to me for that reason. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div><div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #b5c4df 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">
<a href="mailto:vwoolf-bounces@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">vwoolf-bounces@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a>
[<a href="mailto:vwoolf-bounces@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">mailto:vwoolf-bounces@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a>] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Kimberly Coates</span></p><div class="im"><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 18, 2013 12:27 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Gregory Jordan Dekter; Anne Margaret Daniel<br>
</div><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a><div><div class="h5"><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Vwoolf] staging female author
suicides<u></u><u></u></div></div><p></p>
</div>
</div><div><div class="h5">
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Greg:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>There is no
comparison. The VICE spread is using suicide to sell
fashion and in doing so it glamorizes and
aestheticizes female bodies in pain. It also takes our
attention far away from the amazing work all of these
women accomplished. You would think that in an issue
announcing itself as covering Women's Fiction that the
work would be their concern. Whatever you want to say
about Michael Cunningham and/or the film version of
his novel The Hours, he isn't guilty of promoting
suicide to sell shoes and vintage attire!<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Kim<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Kimberly
Coates, Ph.D.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Associate
Professor of English<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Affiliate
Faculty Women's, Gender, and Sexuality
Studies/American Culture Studies<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Bowling
Green State University<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Bowling
Green, OH 43403<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Office
Phone: <a href="tel:419-372-9189" value="+14193729189" target="_blank">419-372-9189</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #b5c4df 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From:
</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Gregory
Jordan Dekter <<a href="mailto:jdekter@gmail.com" target="_blank">jdekter@gmail.com</a>><br>
<b>Date: </b>Tuesday, June 18, 2013 3:08 PM<br>
<b>To: </b>Anne Margaret Daniel <<a href="mailto:daniela@newschool.edu" target="_blank">daniela@newschool.edu</a>><br>
<b>Cc: </b>"<a href="mailto:vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a>"
<<a href="mailto:vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu" target="_blank">vwoolf@lists.service.ohio-state.edu</a>><br>
<b>Subject: </b>Re: [Vwoolf] staging female author
suicides<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span>I'm just
wondering of those who oppose this, are you equally
offended by the portrayal of the same event in "The
Hours"?<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>On 18 June
2013 15:03, Anne Margaret Daniel <<a href="mailto:daniela@newschool.edu" target="_blank">daniela@newschool.edu</a>>
wrote:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>VICE has
removed the online photos, not apologizing very much
("to anyone who was hurt or offended") and stating,
defensively, that their "main goal is to create
artful images, with the fashion message following,
rather than leading." Taken down online, but still
in print. <u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Here is
the Vice statement: <a href="http://www.vice.com/read/last-words-000741-v20n6" target="_blank">http://www.vice.com/read/last-words-000741-v20n6</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>And
here, still online at Inquisitr, is the photo of
the model portraying Woolf, standing in water
and holding a large stone. No words for it,
really.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/793059/vices-suicide-fashion-apology/" target="_blank">http://www.inquisitr.com/793059/vices-suicide-fashion-apology/</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>On Tue,
Jun 18, 2013 at 1:59 PM, Melanie White <<a href="mailto:melanie.white@comcast.net" target="_blank">melanie.white@comcast.net</a>>
wrote:<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/18/193014174/book-news-vice-draws-ire-by-staging-female-author-suicides?utm_source&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130617" target="_blank">http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/18/193014174/book-news-vice-draws-ire-by-staging-female-author-suicides?utm_source&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130617</a></span><span style><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""> </span><span style><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Someone
said this has been taken down now. </span><span style><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
Vwoolf mailing list<br>
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</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><br>
<br clear="all">
<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><span>-- </span><span style="color:#888888"><u></u><u></u></span></span></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Best,<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>AMDaniel<u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><a href="http://www.annemargaretdaniel.com" target="_blank">www.annemargaretdaniel.com</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
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</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div></div></div><div><div class="h5">
<br>
<fieldset></fieldset>
<br>
<pre>_______________________________________________
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</pre>
</div></div></blockquote>
<br>
</div>
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