NOTE: Welcome, Michelle Malkin readers! And thanks for linking, Michelle! Ditto for LGF readers and Charles.
In his series titled "Propaganda", Eolo Perfido, a French-born photographer based in Rome, takes a look at the essence of contemporary America (click photos to enlarge in new window):
These photos have appeared in several magazines in Europe. (Found via apostropher)
FOLLOW-UP:
The photographer himself, Eolo Perfido, responds in the comments:
In his series titled "Propaganda", Eolo Perfido, a French-born photographer based in Rome, takes a look at the essence of contemporary America (click photos to enlarge in new window):
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These photos have appeared in several magazines in Europe. (Found via apostropher)
FOLLOW-UP:
The photographer himself, Eolo Perfido, responds in the comments:
Hello Guys, is Eolo (the photographer) writing...just few words...
I dont hate America.. I love this country as I love american people. I've been there so many times... and have so many friends there, and part of my family is born in USA.
I just think that in such a "great" country, a country that actually is leading the world economically, military and maybe also from a cultural point of view, there is something that doesn't work...something important... and those images are just "my" way to make people think about it. Of course a lot of people will read those images in so many ways... maybe distant from my personal idea... but is ok like that. Anything that makes people think and share ideas is something good in my opinion...
forgive my "not so perfect" english!
Thanks
E.
P.s: This is not art. Just photographies...
You won't find the Euro-concern for "freedom of thought and speech" depicting the average American family on a picnic or at a basegall game, museum, or concert.
European culture is going down the tubes fast and all they can do is pose fantasy visions of what they think America is.
When you're running double digit unemployment, major increases in crime, and can no longer afford your phony social(ist) schemes you gotta get mad at someone I suppose.
I think the photos are great. They hit hard and are on target. And no one I know of loves America more than I do.
Loving America doesn't mean rejecting criticism of it. It means standing up for the what's BEST about the country, not reflexively defending what's WORST about it.
Let's talk again about responsibility. Who's responsible for these negative images? A narrow, self-justifying few is that responsibility ends with the creator of the image. As GWB says, they simply hate our freedom.
I would think a broader view of responsibility would force one to ask, why all the negative images and what can we do about it? Why isn't America the City on the Hill, the beacon of light in the world that we all wished it would be? Does anyone bear responsibility? What has gone wrong?
I think anyone who is seriously concerned could easily prepare a long list of responses. There is certainly much we can and should do better.
Or we can simply consider that all criticsm is hate, and reflect the hate back. That seems very satisfting, and a whole lot easier.
And by the way, the Arctic and Greenland ARE still melting. But it's okay, because we are not responsibile, so let's ignore or criticize those annoying people who tell us about it.
Looks familiar....
Notice the grungy walls in the background? It's there for visual effect, to say that something is grimy/gritty/dirty about most American lives.
However, that's what makes me think this is mean-spiried caricature at best, slander at worst. It resembles the America I know so little.
I'm still trying to figure out the "head-wrapping" effect on almost everyone. It might be commentary on apparet blindness of Americans. Also notice all the Blacks in the pictures? They're all being hurt/oppressed.
It doesn't remind me of Blacks I know from my hometown.
There are other thematic elements in the pictures. But they indcate assumptions about the American way of life that don't answer to things I know about America.
For a country that preaches Freedom of Speech, we're so quick to get offended once someone says anything negative.
People use that statement which such confidence that you almost think it's true. It's easy to say, but difficult to prove. So until we can prove it, how about we just leave it out of the conversation.
I can take some criticism and don't much care for some of the direction we are taking, but I will be damned if I will accept as canon the sniping of a bankrupt and decadent continent.
I just shake my head sometimes...
Without speaking to the symbolism (I am not quite sure what he's trying to say), this is remarkable progress for someone so new to the art. The guy is obviously talented. But nothing in his earlier posts on that web site leads me to believe that he is a bitter anti-American intellectual; quite the opposite, friendly to Americans, and not particularly intellectual, given that most of his work is fashion photography.
Furthermore, the Hatred from Europeans to the Americans specifically western Europeans, comes not from our policies or actions, for its true that when we go out of our way to appease them they still hate us. It is reality that we must unravel, what is it? Hmmm well for 1000s of years Europe was number 1. Thier pride and dignity was built up on being the dominant people. The superior cultures, the best and most powerful. It was so prideful that they went out and killed Indians, Enslaves blacks and took control of parts of Asia. Ever since WW2 when Europe fell into irrelevance and the USA took over as the big kid on the block, they have resented us. Not because they hate our actions, afterall we saved thier sorry asses from the Germans. They are quite simply envious of our power and control and the fact that we are better than they are. Economically, Militarily, Scientifically, we are the top of the line. We control the world as it is if anyon one country was able to.
Europe falling into nothingness pretty much is what made them so angry toward us. Afterall BEFORE WW2 to them we were a bunch of hick farmers, after WW2 we were thier masters. It is then that they are jealous. We dont spend much time thinking about them, much the way a big champion football team wouldnt think about some old losers it beat a few seasons before. We think about the big up and comming teams like China that will mess with us. Europe being the fallen prideful ex champs from a few seasons back spends every waking moment thinking of those who bested them. The USA.
Case closed.
And they hate our freedom to do what? Rant?
U.S. GDP per capita is about 30% higher than W Europe, and unemployment is twice as high. They're poor, they can't defend themselves, they can't take care of their people (a simple heat wave kills tens of thousands): in short, they have an inferiority complex. This kind of "art" makes them feel less inferior.
Genious!
A notable exception is the picture of the child wrapped in the flag. Her look seems to be saying "Eolo, take the damned picture already, this is seriously creeping me out."
IMO.
Where in America do you live? Because the stuff I'm seeing above doesn't look like the essence of the America to me.
With regard to taking criticism, I'm all for giving it back and forth, just let it be constructive - there's nothing worst than being pigeonholed by someone who thinks they're better because they're not you, and that's what I see in the art above.
That's cool that he wants to express himself - but the other side of making a generalization in a free exchange of ideas is the object of your straw man argument might demand a rebuttal.
Jeff
"Imagine if our agricultural policy were made in Ecuador with agricultural ministers from all over the Hemisphere, our taxes paid for housing in Canada, and Paraguayan judges ruled on our immigration policy —- oh, and the American voter really had no say about any of it. Then you’d have something like the New World counterpart to the European Union. It wouldn’t work very well. It doesn’t for Europe. So what is Europe’s fate? Why did the European constitution fail? What does a constitution do, anyway?"
Criticism works two ways. Seems to me that euroelite raspberries would be better used on their own.
Judge
The butcher's mess in the Balkans should put a fork in the illusion of an advanced and enlightened Europe.
Oh, please, bunkabusta, all that each one of these represents is a cliche. Each of theses are ill-informed stereotypes that French hold about America. When I lived in Paris, all I ever heard about America was racism this, poverty that, violence all around. If you were to believe the French, America is basically somewhere between a third-world s***hole, a theocracy, and pure anarchy. If this guy's ever been to America besides a trip to a NYC or LA gallery, I'd be very surprised. It's like an American coming up with hard hitting photos depicting French surrender and cheese production. Just silly, stereotypical pap.
And no one I know of loves America more than I do.
Oh, so which arrondisement do you live in?
Instead of US thinking about why THEY hate US, perhaps THEY should be thinking about why WE dismiss THEM.
Life is a poker game: what you walk away with depends on what you bring to the table. America brings freedom, peace, security and prosperity (you're welcome, Europe; the last sixty years were just our pleasure)... the European left (including their members accidentally born in the USA) brings... this.
Bets on who walks away with the jackpot?
The "inferiority complex" issue addressed by some is definitely worth considering.
What angers me most about such crude and dishonest excess in depicting my country (and its people) is that we, as a country, make pretty good friends and have demonstrated this innumerable times (the French and German political and media elites in particular have a very short memory for such things). What exactly does France or Germany feel we've done to them besides not adopting the failed socialist model of anti-individualism that they’ve become so fond of? Not signing the Kyoto treaty would certainly be one argument one might make, but a really weak justification that would be.
My conjecture on the whole thing is that many Europeans (especially the young) despise the U.S. because their only images of it come from the same style of elite socialist mentality that dominates American media, education, and entertainment.
Nice photography and technique -- blatantly dishonest and inaccurate propaganda from the usual anti-U.S. elitists. If they could only now be enjoying the good times to be had as satellites of the Soviet empire.
That said, you should check out this photographers web site. There are some pretty hot babes in galleries 3-5.
Alexis DeTocqueville has noting to worry about. Neither does Norman Rockwell.
Fat
Racist
Drunks
Whores
Pedophiles
murderers
capitalists.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE LUCKY WE ARE NOT FRENCH !
End of story.
We are the descendants of those who got out from under the Europian elites thumb and made good on our own. Undermining the elites rationale for being elite. They don't need any more reason than that.
While I don't agree that patriotism is blinding America, it is a good question to ask, and art is a good way to do it. The whole 'my country right or wrong' thing.
What makes this somewhat lame though, is it is an outsider's criticism. I'm not saying an outsider can't criticise, but lets be honets here, the artist is being 'brave' or 'risky,' he is toeing the party line of Europe with a blindness all his own.
So America is arrogant sometimes. OK, got it. So we're idealistic. Do the Europeans *really* think that making icky photographs will magically stimulate some national moment of introspection?
And since when does Europe get to be the moral barometer for planet earth? Christ, what is it exactly that *Europe* is doing to make the world better? And if the only answer is "well..uh...they signed Kyoto...and they sure have a lot of you know...windmills and clean energy and stuff" then sorry, that's not good enough. Until Europe can point to *anything* they do that makes global society better, then I don't think Americans are under any obligation to take their criticism seriously.
Because you know what? We're trying to do the right thing. History will ultimately decide if we were right or wrong, but Jesus - at least we're doing *something* besides making stupid photographs.
This guy's work is plainly a style ripoff. It's a lot more tame than Gottfried's stuff -- his material is truly disturbing.
-- Arfin
To name a few, I for one am not proud of Abu Grhaib or Guantanamo, of the way we have "rendered" captives to others for torture and murder, and how the Adminstration opposes the US Senate`s approval of a bill that will prohit torture.
William
We are the superpower, we just have to set limits to how much we peddle to them. They will act in their own self interest.
The only real alliance is the anglo alliance..
This is, after all, the continent that gave us two utterly ruinous World Wars and the Cold War. This is the birthplace of fascism, communism, anarchism, terrorism and centuries of catastophic imperialism. Where, praytell, do the Europeans think that the ultimate responsibility for the humanitarian tragedy of Africa lies? It was not America that carved up Africa like a roast for her greed and pleasure. Even tiny Belgium, under King Leopold, slaughtered nearly a million Congolese people in a mad desire for diamonds.
The European list of genocidal dictators is virtually endless: Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Ceausescu, Kiaser Wilhelm, and Tsar Nicholas are just a few. Even if one were to imagine that this only describes Europe's shameful past, we come upon the bloody Balkan conflict in the 1990s, where Western European "peacekeepers" sat cowardly silence while Serbian barbarians carted civilians off to yet ANOTHER slaughter!
This is the continent that gave the modern world the concentration camp, the bombardment of civilian cities, ethnic cleansing, tyranny and resulting appeasment of tyrants, chemical and germ warfare, gross class inequality, white supremacy, environmental destruction and global empires.
America is rich and powerful and deserving of some criticisms, yes. But from Europeans? Pulease!
Nice photography and technique -- blatantly dishonest and inaccurate propaganda from the usual anti-U.S. elitists.
Yo, the title of the exhibition is "Propaganda". The photographer's statement with these is not nearly as cut and dried as everybody here insists. Your reactions are far more knee-jerk than the original work.
Also, I'm not sure how you've all decided that a 30-year-old photographer is either an "elite" or an "elitist."
Cant wait to see what the artist does with a weightier subject, like, say, Rwanda
I don't worry much about what others think of America. It's only natural that anyone from any upper or lower class in any country should hate us. The upper and lower classes MUST hate the middle class and always have. The middle class deflates the illusions that the upper class are naturally born to rule and the lower class has no chance to improve because THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. Along comes a self-made man and his very existence turns these comforting denials of personal responsibility into lies. Can't have that! It's no mystery why 'they' hate us, just as it's no mystery why we get so much of the cream from any and every nation on Earth.
They see the class-obsessed European catastrophe as a paradise that only fools or the intellectualy crippled would not desire. They are enamored of the idea that they can be just like the Euro elites sipping champaigne in their chateaus whilst the less worthy slave away in the dark. This is the proper way of the world.
The excuse is they desire to be happy having served by having saved all us little people the freedom of making our own choices. We are just too dumb after all. Our choices and our freedom keeps them from helping us and creating the perfect world.
This must be stopped. We must be disarmed so we can't fight back. We must lose all of these stupid Christian ideas that make us think we can make our own choices and judgements because there is no real God but the elites. There is no morality but what they say is moral. We should not question them and anyone who does will be stopped.
They must make sure we all have enough of an equivalent outcome in our lives that they won't feel guilty about putting us in mega cities/prisons to protect nature and preserve the world's beauty.
The truth is they really desire to remove all of us stupid, smelly peasants from anywhere our visages or our smell might offend the beauty of the world of nature that is their birthright alone.
This is socialism. The paradise for the enlightened and a gulag for the masses. The world is clean and beautiful. The elites can frolic in it without despairing over the slaves below. This is Europe and it is what George Soros, Michael Moore, Hillary, and Hollywood plan for all of the rest of us.
I know, someone is trying to say that it's really some sort of reverse-whammy, since the name of the series is "propoganda", but I think that's reading more into it than it will support.
I take the "propoganda" to be what the "victims" in this series are being forced to absorb, even if they close their eyes.
If I could talk to this guy, I think I would say something like:
Me: Uh, nice pictures. Looking at the other side of the coin, do you know what Americans think of Europeans?
Eolo: What?
Me: Well, mostly they don't think about you at all.
Too bad. His photos were nice until he bared his soul and exposed himself as a hate filled Euroweenie.
That sure is a lot of hate for a few twitchy models in a dirty room with jock straps over their faces. If these posters controlled the military Europe would be a crater by now.
You know who I think might have linked up the blogs? That's right. Good old Eolo Perfido. Because you don't get any where in the art world in 2005 with work that's pleasant, stylish, or even thought-provoking. What you want is DISTURBING. Personally, I'm not disturbed or even intrigued. I prefer that guy who does the dogs smoking cigars and playing poker. There's a "modern" installation in every big museum you go to these days where screaming, pained, contorted faces desparately try to get you to take notice. Usually it's kind of pitiful. Though once in a while there's some good nudity.
But this Eolo guy apparently learned something from photo.net and other American sites. You throw in the stars and stripes and whamo, instant hate. Especially if you're doing your shoot across the Atlantic. Seems like he's found the perfect audience too: WWII history fanatics who love to retell those old battle stories like the aging varsity quarterback replaying his big game from high school.
(You know the kind I'm talking about--was a football stud ages ago but every year since has been worse than the one before it-- he's angry and bitter that others are succeeding while life is passing him by, so all he's got left is to keep that old rivalry alive and...oops, I'm off on a completely irrelevant tangent....)
My advise for Eolo Perfido: congratulations, your skills at fashion photography have given you a sense for promoting yourself by manipulating fashions. But if you want to add picture to your portfolio that will truly stand out, how about a dog, smoking the American flag, at a poker table...naked....?
Thus, artwork about some Americans can't be understood as an individual's statement about a certain type of American, it has to be an attack on "Team America." And, of course, the response can't be against a certain type of French person, or even a certain type of artist or art, it has to be against "Team Europe.''
I saw it on TeeVee.
What leads you to believe that this photo collection is supposed to be about "certain kinds of Americans", rather than a smear against the whole country in all its stereotyped guises?
I'm not seeing any positive images in this collection. Are you?
What do you see as the purpose of this presentation? I have a hard time seeing "Hey, America's a cool place, except for a few bad apples that I wish would go away".
Why is it unreasonable, after so many wearying entrants like this, for us to raise shields the moment we hear "French-born artist living in Rome" or some such biography? It's never good news. Makes a guy start to lose his faith in Europeans and artists and European artists to say anything about America that Americans will be pleased to hear.
Oh, and kingofpus, some of us are young artistic types ourselves. What is it with the stereotypes around here, anyway? "Aging football stud"... geez. Does it even occur to you that our negative reactions might be the result of reasonable human emotion? You expect a response of "Aw, gee, shucks, you sure done got us dead to rights, there. Toss me a beer and lecture me on the error of my ways some more"?
The photos are obviously cheap shots, aiming for controversy and knee-jerk support in Europe. Ironically, Gaijin Biker is not posting them for our edification or because he desires to improve our image in the world, but to generate the same kind if interest through trackbacks and comments expressing knee-jerk reactions. This is not patriotism, but pandering.
I don`t understand why GB, and his "fellow riders" who have been commenting above, don`t express any concern about how this Administration has dragged America`s name through the mud. I, for one, am appalled by all the damage this Administration has done to our long-term interests.
My view of freedom of speech allows me to call crap what it is when I see it. When people are critical of people who are critical of America, that is their right.
Naturally, Europeans don't understand this - my freedom of speech to say this.
Naturally, they can be critical of our own views - their freedom of speech to say this.
But they're still assholes, and nothing takes away my right to say it and laugh at people who think that this qualifies as censoring them.
This art is crap, I disagree with it's point of view, and I wouldn't pay a bucket of piss to see them in a gallery. That's my view, that's my right, and if I lived in the America this guy thinks I live in, I wouldn't be allowed to say it. But I live in America, not Europe, so I have every right to say it, regardless of what the Eurotrash think, say, or do.
Where's the guy eating 12 burritos and washing them down with a 12 pack of greenies while taking pot shots at an Osama target off his back porch while sitting on the pot reading the Bible and listeninig to Rush?
How can you represent an average American without that? Now really!
Its, like, perzactly the same.
American imagery is so pervasive it gets recycled in cliche and gets fed to the people again 16 years later.
At least "Jacob's Ladder" was a good movie.
Maybe he's guessing what we'd look like if we let the UN take over our way of life.
Maybe I'd believe he was objective if one image had a French flag wrapped around an unemployed Frenchman holding out a beggars cup while flipping off a Polish plumber who wants to work more than thirty-five hours a week.
Maybe - but all I see is the work of a guy who'd rather be popular than reasonable.
ill say this though. i lived in europe for a couple years, learned a language and met lots of great people. i actually organized quite a few art events there myself. i never let it change my conservative views. of course i never met any conservative artists there at all, or here in the states for that matter. here's the thing though; we're not going to see an end to liberal dominaton of the arts unless conservatives change their attitudes towards funding modern work. i got funding for projects in europe that i could NEVER get here in the US even though the work was non-politcal in nature for the most part, (at least non-political compared to the above work). many artists and musicians are really, really, influencial and i cant understand why more conservatives dont see art as more of an opportunity to connect than they do. there are a lot of interesting concepts and ideas out there that are interesting and thought provoking without being vulgar. video art is especially interesting and another area with no conservative representation. im a conservative trapped in a socialist subculture...HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not sure if I'm really qualified to answer that. Think the stereotype painting palette was introduced long before I got to the canvas. But my gut response is that it's easier, more universal, and better manners to mock a stereotype, like aging varsity quarterbacks, than to mock a specific person, like Brian Tiemann.
Anyway, you seem unlikely to have been offended by the broad brush with which I painted old jocks, since you're a young artistic type. And you probably didn't get too bothered by my more specific critical comments about Eolo Perfido since you seem to be no fan of his either. (Look at that, NEITHER OF US are...I just don't hate all Europeans because of this guy's silly pics.) I also said I wasn't really into this kind of art as a rule, but I'm sure you don't hold that against me--just my personal taste.
Mostly I'd say you're displeased because it seemed I wasn't allowing that you could have a sincere emotional response to Eolo's work. And, shucks, you know what? You got me dead to rights there. The smart-ass way I dismissed the work also dismissed the feelings it causes. I'm sorry.
Toss me a beer and let's go from there. The instant visceral response is one of shock and repulsion. If I'm wrong, lecture me on the error of my ways cause you're the artist...but I say a lot of art does that. After that, you're eyes to go the American symbol, your brain goes to who the hell wrapped my country's flag around this pyscho-bomber, and you INTERPRET it.
Whether or not you see it as a viscious kick in the balls from some hostile foreigner to your America (which you're already secretly worried ain't as sturdy as it used to be and that's why you spend so much time talking it up in the internet) or whether you see it as an impotent copy of great American (self-critical) art itself, that's up to you, the beholder. (the hypothetical beholder, of course, not Brian Tiemann)
You're right, I don't see any POSITIVE pics on this contact sheet. But I'm also hard pressed to recall any POSITIVE films in Martin Scorcese's body of work. I assume you respond to the negative portaits of humanity in the theater, but don't leave pissed off thinking Scrocese is anti-human. (anti fun-for-the-whole-family comedy, maybe)
Final thought: art isn't a monologue, it's a dialogue. You're an artist. Fill in the blanks.
Excellent, TT. Perfect one word review of the collection itself.
If you think GB's doing it as well, he, perhaps like Eolo What's-His-Name, knows his audience. Look at all the comments this one thing has generated. (Look at that long-winded gas bag right before this one!)
I think RN was the model for Perfido's shot of the blindfolded guy wearing the American necktie. He lives in America, apparently, but he is blind to the existence of the Ku Klux Klan, Timothy McVeigh, Pat Robertson, their followers and their ilk.
I said earlier that Perfido's art hits hard. The seething insecurity and denial rife in the comments on this blog show I'm right.
An earlier commenter noted that Mr. Perfido was, on a photography list, a friendly polite character who didn't seem anti-American; perhaps he was just being careful not to offend while seeking gratis information and instruction. Then again, maybe he's not the anti-American nut he would seem to be from these pictures but rather (1) meeting demand (in Europe, especially) and (2) getting serious PR by creating "controversial"--i.e., offensive--works that outrage, thus bringing publicity, more outrage, etc.
On first glance, they're provocative works; with a bit more viewing, they're rather boring (how many variations on a theme can multiple people do?). If art is meant to provide uplift or positive expression, this isn't art; it's skilled cynicism and marketing.
Maybe Mr. Perfido is perfidious. ;-)
Um, and you feel this based on his post....how? And the state executed Timothy McVeigh....and execution is bad, right? So Timothy McVeigh is really a martyr of the American Death Machine in the above photo? I'm so confused. Since you're trying to apparently implicate Caucasian Americans with all the world's many evils, though, please don't forget Ted Kaczynski (AKA the Unabomber) although I distinctly remember he lacked a band of loyal followers. And don't forget the likes of David Duke and Pat Buchanan, although I'd characterize them more as washed up politicians now more than anything else.
He really should have tried to get American models though. The usage of European models makes these photos almost peculiarly self-referential. Of course, if any American had the temerity to photograph some silly caricature of a Frenchman shrouded in a tattered white flag with a few filthy blocks of cheese around him, he or she would rightly be denounced as a boor. But, ah, to criticize Americans with worn-out stereotypes! He is an artiste.
I feel pretty confident that Eole Perfido has never slaughtered, imprisoned, or tortured anybody. I'm not really down with the whole "sins of the fathers" thing, what with being a white guy in the South and all.
On the other hand, for the past couple of years, our government has been one of the market leaders in slaughtering, imprisoning, and torture. Funny how that works.
Oh brother...
Only Russia imprisons a higher percentage of its population than we do. Only Sudan has seen more conflict-related deaths than Iraq over the past two years. And we've made a few headlines regarding torture.
How else would you characterize it?
agi t. prop, Spencer, apostropher....
Your responses parrot the same old liberal BS. Who cares that europeans hate us.
Oderint Dum Metuant
(Let them hate so long as they fear.)
I'm interested, though, so tell me: what have I said that could be identified as either liberal or conservative?
Obviously, you don't have to create GOOD art to be an "artist".
I dont hate America.. I love this country as I love american people. I've been there so many times... and have so many friends there, and part of my family is born in USA.
I just think that in such a "great" country, a country that actually is leading the world economically, military and maybe also from a cultural point of view, there is something that doesn't work...something important... and those images are just "my" way to make people think about it. Of course a lot of people will read those images in so many ways... maybe distant from my personal idea... but is ok like that. Anything that makes people think and share ideas is something good in my opinion...
forgive my "not so perfect" english!
Thanks
E.
P.s: This is not art. Just photographies...
this is just the European left; it's identical to the American left, maybe more pathetic.
I'm a European and I can tell you for sure a large part of Europe loves your country; that's why we dream of moving there, some of us do it too (more then 60 million up till now).
The problem is just that the left is in power in a lot of EU countries, and they still hope one day communism or (national)socialism will prevail. When Sarkozy takes over France, no major country in Europe will be governed anymore by a lefty (except if you consider Spain a major country). That day the left will wake up, all this will seem like a bad dream.
Greetings to you all from Brussels.
His politely stated reminder, and not so politely stated symbolism, regarding what "doesn't work" in America just doesn't come across as anything but the usual leftist rant that caricatures extremes and fabricates non-issues. For a guy who "loves" America and its people he has an odd way of showing it.
The famous painting symbolizing racism by Norman Rockwell that another commentator put up doesn't make me feel that the artist (Rockwell) hated the U.S. (and it clearly makes one think critically regarding the flaws in one's country's history) but, nice guy/good intentions or not, Eolo's work still paints a brutal and grossly inaccurate picture of things that "don't work" and is deeply resented by this American.
I'm not convinced. As far as artistic style, it's just Joel Peter Witkin and Francis Bacon...with an anti-U.S. theme.
How can something "politely stated" as you put it, be at the same time a "rant"?
:-)
Pick one. Either the guy is making a point, however unpleasant, in the most polite form possible (art is polite, throwing rocks is not)
or he is ranting...
Here is Perfido's most negative portrayal of France that I can find. Clearly the only problem France has is that they are too sensitive, and too easily victimized by brutes like the eyeless Americans.
I think it's a pretty safe bet that Perfido hasn't made anywhere near as nasty a commentary about France and Italy as he has about America.
Most Americans are happened to be patriotic about the USA. There is nothing wrong with that.
The only person who's really blinded is YOU, Eolo.
The intellectuals in Europe and America fear this idea, because they know that they can't compete with an empowered, rising lower class. They rightly fear that, if their peasants adopted American values and culture, then the intellectual's social position would be lowered to what they merited. That is why their students must riot occasionally and burn down a Paris McDonalds; why their learned classes must magnify America's flaws and ignore its virtues; why they must oppose American foreign policy; why they must produce bogus statistics to lower America's status and must ignore that most of America's flaws result from adopting European social and political values. If you take out from American demographics the crime, poverty, privation and mis-education endemic to our Blue State big cities, then you find that Red State America beats Europe flat. And our poorest state, Mississippi, has a better standard of living than any state of Europe or Canada.
America is not perfect because it is a work-in-progress. We Americans are not resting on our laurels; we are still striving-- trying to make the world a better place. We have errors resulting from the past-- as all cultures do, but, unlike Europe, we don't cover up our flaws. We don't pretend to be what we are not. Few of us American’s care what the world thinks of us. Why? Because we are too busy creating the future to spend time dwelling on the past.
We American’s don’t think that we are controlling the world, but we are. The world is either lining up along side us-- or against us. Along side us is where the winners will be. Why? Because, American values create prosperity and freedom; European values do not. The values of most of the world’s political classes do not, but that doesn’t matter because a sea change is in progress. The world is being democratized and commercialized-- Americanized.
The best people of the oppressed lower classes will rise to replace the current upper class. These new leaders will neither love nor hate us, but they will compete with us on our terms. The decadent intellectuals will fall as the new classes rise, but so long as they have influence and power, they will waste their time trying to persuade themselves that they are not losers. So, they will produce “art” like the above.
Among the chickenhawks, anything allegedly or concievably or actually "French" is cause for snickering or dismissal.
The difference between FOX news and our photographer? FOX news is shoveling the bucks into the vault.
The difference between our photographer and the right wingo losers who whine and wheedle about the French?
The photographer can take a picture.
And the name of the piece is "Propaganda"? The artist claims that while he loves America, the images represent real issues Americans should consider. Then why call it "Propaganda"?
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Is /anyone/ shocked by this? My personal reaction was a roll of the eyes and a tired, 'not this boring old dog again.'
This is nothing we haven't seen a thousand times over, usually done better. Even for anti American 'art' this is lame.
When I look at these photos, I see many things that remind me of Europe, and nothing of America. The dirty walls in the backgroud remind me of Poland. Heck, even the Rome metro sometimes looked like that, Rome is the dirtiest city I've been to (USA, Canada, and Europe only). Some of the images remind me of Auschwitz and Birkenau - two European creations.
The oppression reminds me (figuratively, not literally) of the classist and sexist prejudices that I often saw in Europe. Women still have a difficult time getting into management in many countries. Foreigners are not always welcome or readily accepted. Many places are still very provincial and patriarchal.
I'm an experienced IT professional with a grad degree, 12 years experience, dual citizenship with Ireland (EU), and I speak several languages - but there are several countries in Western Europe in which I wouldn't work because I know the barriers to acceptance would be too high. Yet any European could come to the USA to work and they'd be accepted immediately. We welcome all kinds.
Mr Perfido's photography is nothing but a large mirror that reflects the life that he knows all too well.
If you are critical of one aspect of government policy, it does not necessarily make you "anti-bush". Similarly, many people, for many reasons, dislike some aspect or other of America. This does not make them instantly "anti-american" any more than not liking bull fighting makes you "anti-spanish".
Yet people (and presidents) persist in this simplistic dichotomy. You are with us or against us.
I don't particulary care for these photographs (except for one) but just because they contain a flag and no smiling kid with apple pie does not mean I consider them a declaration or war against the US. The fact that the series is entitled "Propaganda" and every photo bedecked with the flag is not an accident - think a little.
And as for that "they hate our freedom" stuff, it's just simplistic nonsense.
Some people hate us because our cars are to big.
Some people hate us because Somalia and the US are the only 2 countries yet to ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Some people hate us because we allow abortion
Some people hate us because we are trying to have abortions stopped.
Some people don't hate us.
Some people like us.
Some people are bored by us and wish we would just shut up.
Some people are amused that a set of photographs can trigger an avalanche of "they all hate us because we're the best and they are all just crap" responses. Like I said, the world is not a simple place.
Finally, observations on a couple of previous posts - if you think the US is "classless" you are hopelessly naive, take a look around.
- if people are SO upset with the French, write your congressmen and start petitions to give them their statue of liberty back. Let's get rid of the filthy, french thing...
When you say blanket statements about the problems in Europe, you are also saying them about the great people of Poland, the Baltic states, our British allies, Italy, and the Balkans, where many good people live. These people are our friends and understand that such countries as Germany and France are not the solution, they are the problem. I would hate to see the growing anti-Europeanism put us on the opposite sidse of the debate with them.
It would be interesting and much more constructive to see the artist put the same amount of effort into a complementary collection of art which reflects the things about America that he finds appealing. For extra credit, layout both collections side-by-side. Doing this would yield a higher quality discussion of America's vices and virtues, as well as demonstrate the artist's real talent and insight.
For those of you who are not aware of what "blinders" are, they are used on horses that are used to pull loads. The blinders block the hoarse's periphrial vision.
Though you say your photographs are not art, this blog proves beyond a doubt that they are.
Perfido's photos are a brilliant Rorschach test.
When Cliff, Lee, Lou Wheeler and the throng of right-wingers look at these pictures, the see America and its ideals, its people and its political essence. Indeed, they see themselves.
When I look at these photos, I see don't see America-loving patriots like myself. I see David Duke, James Earl Ray and Lyndie Englund. I see the guy I went to school with who became a cop and told me all crime was committed by either blacks or mexicans, I see Pat Robertson, and the television executives who cancelled Bill Maher's TV show, I see my fascist uncle who thinks sterilizing poor women is the answer, I see the guy I work who insists, to this day, that Saddam had WMDs and was working with Al Qaeda.
It would never even occur to me to confuse the people depicted in those photos with the majority of Americans who are tolerant, intelligent, open-minded and secure in their national identity.
In the responses they provoke, Perfido's photos show who the real America-haters are, how they hate themselves, as Americans, and the seething insecurity that produces.
Europeans are somewhat aware of the situation.
In America, we have free speech, but we are the biggest jew lovers on the planet.
All the European has is "anti-Americanism" to express an unexpressable anger. An anger that is completely just, and illegal.
Trois thèmes/motifs dans vos photographies qui me frappent immédiatement:
1. le cri (comme une bête qui hurle ou mugit)
2. la cécité (les yeux bandés)
3. la pauvreté
Mais en Europe aussi on voit les mêmes problèmes:
1. le cri, représentant la violence et l'injustice (violence juive/musulmane, ou le problème avec le tchador, par exemple)
2. la cécité (racisme dans le style musulman ou le style de Le Pen; politique de "contrepoids"; action unilatérale en Côte d'Ivoire; le scandale dans l'ONU; l'hypocrisie de critiquer constamment les USA sans bien se regarder dans le miroir)
3. la pauvreté-- dûe en grande partie au schéma économique socialiste
Auriez-vous le courage de critiquer l'Europe d'exactement la même façon? Seriez-vous prêt de créer une deuxième galerie? J'espère que oui, mais je me demande.
Kevin
Mr Perfido, Three thèmes/motifs in your photographs which strike me immediately:
1. the cry (as an animal which howls or mugit)
2. blindness (bandaged eyes)
3. poverty
But in Europe also one sees the same problems:
1. the cry, representing violence and the injustice (violence juive/musulmane, or the problem with the tchador, for example)
2. blindness (racism in the Moslem style or the style of the PEN; policy of "counterweight"; unilateral action in Ivory Coast; the scandal in UNO; hypocrisy to criticize the USA without good constantly to look itself in the mirror)
3. the poverty -- mainly which had with the socialist economic diagram
Would you have courage to criticize Europe in exactly the same way? Would you be ready to create a second gallery? I hope that yes, but I wonder.
Kevin
I really wish Perfido had clarified what this "important" message was in his reply. But he's chosen to give the usually vague answer most artists will give when asked to explain their work. I remember well the scene from my college days as an art major and the self-important slush I used to read in the issues of "Art in America."
Obviously he's portraying America as being blind to whatever may be around them. And Mr. Perfido, as much as you're entitled to express your own worldview artistically, we are also entitled to either accept or reject the accuracy of your observations. I think you're way off the mark on this one.
A knee-jerk reaction to criticism isn't good, but when Americans are constantly barraged by hard-core concepts such as arrogance and power - and at the same time asked for aid when needed - well, it is wearisome for many an American soul.
I would say that America, more than ever is *not* blind. Good grief, man. It's tough to be blind when you've got every news outlet and internet blogging community sharing images and thoughts from around the world that consist of anti-American sentiments. And of Islamic militants beheading young schoolgirls. Want to talk about blind? Why don't you shine the light toward France. Isn't the government paying French women now to have babies and boost the population? Now that would be an interesting subject for a photographic exhibit. And America will continue to try to find solutions for problems in our country and ways to help the world.
I don't care if other countries likes us or is jealous of us. We may have to share this planet but it doesn't require that we all sit in some canoe and sing "kumbaya" to each other. There will always be differences in what we believe and how we conduct our lives. The trick is to capitalize on our strengths and commonalities - not continue to divide us with constant antagonistic creations. Some may criticize America as being a warmonger; but to be honest, I don't see a difference in the spirit of someone who creates such "art" and a blood-thirsty General.
By the way, America is the only country I know that defends the right to have such *art* versus other countries that try to squelch such a freedom. You are talented. I suppose you've succeeded (not unlike Robert Mapplethorpe) in creating controversial work to get noticed. I just hope to see something in the future a little more positive about life in general from you. (I know many artists rely on the darker subject material for their art, but sheesh...I think everyone can use some brightness every now and then.)
Pensi la bellezza... Ciao, "Artista dei Sogni."
It doesn't make me mad or upset. It makes me sleepy.
I've heard all the anti-American rants, ad nauseam. My response is, (yawn) so what?
Artists who produce this kind of art seem to lack imagination. Oh, they can execute their ideas well enough, but those ideas, as I said, are pretty stale. Part of the problem is it lacks subtlety, depth, ambiguity, delicacy -- all the ingredients that go into great art. It wants to hit you over the head with its message. The whole idea is to be controversial. But in pursuing controversy, it chases away the complexity that accompanies most compelling issues. It is, by its very nature, shallow art.
In the end, who cares?
Any ``ink blot'' that exposes the kind of insecurity and self-loathing that has flowed forth on this blog is definitely art. If Perfido's work isn't art, why does it exert such power over Riding Sun's readers?
He's no doubt "making a point," but some of us don't feel it’s an honest or accurate one.
Tatterdemalian: Indeed, Eolo doesn't seem to be able to work up the same level of artistic venom toward countries closer to his heart. He's clearly a damn good photographer. If he'd stick to pretty ladies, like the ones in the link you provided, I'd be more impressed, and if critiques of the U.S. were more honest (and not so cliché) I'd be less insulted.
Lou Wheeler's comments are excellent!
I think Bunkerbuster is correct in seeing "David Duke, James Earl Ray and Lyndie Englund..." in the photos. His skewed appraisal of the issue, however, fails to see that the photos seriously suggest that such foul examples represent the United States in general. This is probably fairly obvious to most people. Pretending that one’s seeing the photos in this regard is a symptom of pathology (projection) is a new low in debate.
Bunkerbuster's "Rorschach test" argument is really weak (I wonder which photo is supposed to be me; a free-market libertarian guy in Japan – with a grimace, a bible, and American flag blindfold?).
Just keep being a “patriotic” citizen who “loves” their country (and those who insult it)...and at least try to recognize that not everyone who disagrees with you is doing so out of an imaginary fear of an imaginary inner David Duke ("conservatives are fascist" is an old and weak argument).
Regarding those who have addressed the "Anti-U.S." / "Anti-European" issue that these photos have dredged up; a few have noted, quite accurately, that this is ultimately a leftwing/rightwing issue. The fact that America is generally perceived to be right of the social/political cliques that dominate Europe has made it a target of rather fervent and bitter attack. Of course we get this treatment from our own home-grown Jacobins as well. The fact that European and American education, media, and entertainment are dominated by this clique doesn't help. As some comments noted, there are many in Europe who generally like the United States and its people, just as there are many Americans who like the countries of Europe and their citizens. Too bad we both have to contend with socialist control freaks who demand we honor their elitist views and phony patronization of underclasses.
Those who do hate the U.S., hate it for the same reasons they hate individuals who are wealthy, successful, and influential.
The socialist ("progressive revolutionary") wants a world of conformity and obedience to intellectual social planners. At this point in history, the U.S. is an obstacle to such goals. Oh well.
He's no doubt "making a point," but some of us don't feel it’s an honest or accurate one.
Tatterdemalian: Indeed, Eolo doesn't seem to be able to work up the same level of artistic venom toward countries closer to his heart. He's clearly a damn good photographer. If he'd stick to pretty ladies, like the ones in the link you provided, I'd be more impressed, and if critiques of the U.S. were more honest (and not so cliché) I'd be less insulted.
Lou Wheeler's comments are excellent!
I think Bunkerbuster is correct in seeing "David Duke, James Earl Ray and Lyndie Englund..." in the photos. His skewed appraisal of the issue, however, fails to see that the photos seriously suggest that such foul examples represent the United States in general. This is probably fairly obvious to most people. Pretending that one’s seeing the photos in this regard is a symptom of pathology (projection) is a new low in debate.
Bunkerbuster's "Rorschach test" argument is really weak (I wonder which photo is supposed to be me; a free-market libertarian guy in Japan – with a grimace, a bible, and American flag blindfold?).
Just keep being a “patriotic” citizen who “loves” their country (and those who insult it)...and at least try to recognize that not everyone who disagrees with you is doing so out of an imaginary fear of an imaginary inner David Duke ("conservatives are fascist" is an old and weak argument).
Regarding those who have addressed the "Anti-U.S." / "Anti-European" issue that these photos have dredged up; a few have noted, quite accurately, that this is ultimately a leftwing/rightwing issue. The fact that America is generally perceived to be right of the social/political cliques that dominate Europe has made it a target of rather fervent and bitter attack. Of course we get this treatment from our own home-grown Jacobins as well. The fact that European and American education, media, and entertainment are dominated by this clique doesn't help. As some comments noted, there are many in Europe who generally like the United States and its people, just as there are many Americans who like the countries of Europe and their citizens. Too bad we both have to contend with socialist control freaks who demand we honor their elitist views and phony patronization of underclasses.
Those who do hate the U.S., hate it for the same reasons they hate individuals who are wealthy, successful, and influential.
The socialist ("progressive revolutionary") wants a world of conformity and obedience to intellectual social planners. At this point in history, the U.S. is an obstacle to such goals. Oh well.
There you have it, when Cliff looks at those photos, he sees a representation of the United States in general.
But wait a second, he seems to want to have it both ways:
So there you have it: for Cliff, the photos represent America in general and David Duke, James Earl Ray and Lyndie Englund. Cliff must really hate America, in general. But what of himself? If the photos portray America in general, Cliff, as an American, must believe he is being portrayed in them. Again, he seems confused about it:
If the blindfold fits, wear it!
If it doesn't, why not acknowledge that America, like almost all countries, has a fascist element. No one's saying you're part of that element, but when you insist the images of fascists represent "American in general'' don't be surprised