What REALLY went on with those characters behind closed doors!
A talented, young photographer named Rosie Hardy, has done a wonderful job at relating fairy tale scenarios to real life issues that don't usually have a happy ending.
Her unusual self-portrait set of 'behind the scenes' fairy tale photos on flickr are not your usual dreamy visions, or even stylized goth versions of the fairy tale heroines. No. These girls just might be your next door neighbors, girls you went to school with, your cousins, your aunts, your sisters and maybe even your mothers - and their tales all have a sobering side to them.
In posting her photos Rosie has thoughtfully added statistics about social issues, addictions and other problems our fairy tale characters could relate to. It'll make you rethink those familiar stories from a modern and relevant perspective. Instead of just posting the photos I'm giving you screen captures so you can see the connections she's made (and perhaps entice you to check out the rest for yourself).
The issues are not always comfortable to consider but I feel like applauding the wonderful job Rosie did on these.
Talk about showing how the tales can be relevant to today!
Check out the rest of her 'behind the scenes' fairy tales set HERE and see more of her photography HERE.
At first, I thought, hhhmmm, not sure what I think about it, but as I continued to look, I realized that finding a whole new way to get important social messages across is quite an achievement.
ReplyDeleteWell,
ReplyDeleteFirst you must know that it is not her who takes the photographs and does the post-processing.
Second, you should read about the Rosie Hardy Plagiarism scandal here :
http://rosiehardyplagiarism.tumblr.com/
http://blog.tonyeckersley.com/the-curious-case-of-rosie-hardy/
http://www.flickr.com/groups/central/discuss/72157614107820734/page3/
People have proofs that she stole images and whole concepts from other artists (including for this fairy tales series) and claimed as her own original work and ideas. And she never gave credit to those artists.
The worst part is that she keeps doing that even after the scandal and that she blocks people on Flickr who try to tell the truth :
http://blue-bus.com/scatterbrain/2009/02/24/rosie-hardy-plagiarist-2/
KateW: It's funny when people do photos. We accept a lot in books and stories but as soon as you add a picture you turn some sort of corner, especially in photography which often leaves less room for the imagination.
ReplyDeleteTo me these ideas show how versatile (and relevant) fairy tales are. I love that.
Edward:
Thank you for bringing the controversy to my attention! I will try to remember to add a note to that effect on the actual post.
I appreciate all the links! I didn't find any specific places where the concept of the fairy tale pics was obviously taken from though.
While she obviously has talent it reminds me that forgers do too - incredible talent mightily misplaced. It's very sad.
If you have any links to the original idea of behind-the-scenes fairy tales I'd like to post them and make sure credit is given to the idea originator.
Thanks again!