Chen Man's works have aroused public discussion
Originally thought that this matter would fade with time, but the direction of the story went from the original suspected to "insulting China"
Chen Man's previous works have also been pulled out by netizens and somewhat controversial
It's normal for a photographer's work to be controversial
There are differences in the aesthetics of people, which is also very normal
It was not felt before that aesthetic catering to the West was also common, which is also normal
It is even normal to even say that I once bent my waist for five buckets of rice
Chen Man sent a message "just for a meal", perhaps at that time there was her compromise and casualness. After all, against aesthetic prejudice, this is the last two years to have a slightly stronger voice.
In the past, it was also common to be kidnapped by Western aesthetics and flaunt a sense of superiority, and even if they did not understand but forcibly approved
But Hong Huang's defense made me realize that this figure who communicates Chinese and Western cultures has not made progress, and still holds this prejudice and old views as treasures.
Because of this group of films, Chen Man and even China's fashion photography suddenly have a foothold in the world. I don't think this photo is beautiful, but it has enough impact that today, 10 years later, it can still rush to the hot search. Her method is to amplify Asian-American and Chinese identities. Chen Man's original intention was to debut internationally, and she did it. Recently there is a movie called "Titanium" that took the Palme d'Or, made by a French female director, super super brutal, about a girl who was in a car accident, implanted titanium in her brain, grew up to become a killer, and killed her parents, the scene was extremely brutal. This film won the Palme d'Or, is the female director and the Palme d'Or insulting the law? "Cuttlefish Game" was made by Koreans, is it an insult to Korea? My director friend said this about Titanium: "After watching titanium, it is quite shocking, how original, heavy taste postmodern movies, shooting is very difficult, the degree of completion is very high." Actually a female director, the only female director in postmodern films, inside and outside the play, people dare not easily draw conclusions about the identity of feminist women, and the existing concepts have been completely shaken ~~" But I still don't expect to see this movie, I'm afraid of nightmares, I'm afraid of brutality, I'm afraid of not being able to accept such a bloody film. I want to see sweeter films. This is me. I'm not a film critic or a practitioner. I respect their reviews and works, but I have my own choices. So as for this ugly one, it's really not surprising why a photograph that has been written into the history of global photography appears in an exhibition. Go see the French humiliating themselves in Titanium. Maybe you feel better.
I don't agree with Hong Huang's personal views:
Hong Huang explained that Chen Man's success in breaking into the international circuit with his work "Twelve Colors of China" proved how remarkable he was. Because of this group of films, Chen Man and even China's fashion photography suddenly have a foothold in the world. She said she didn't think the photos were beautiful, but they were definitely impactful because they magnified Asian-American and Chinese characteristics, so Chen Man succeeded.
Because Chen Man shot such a set of blockbusters, Chen Man made his international debut, which made Chinese fashion photography successfully on an unknown number of grades.
Isn't that funny?
Chen Man succeeded, so Chinese fashion succeeded
It is true that people have the psychology of building heroes, but I personally believe that such an old view should not kidnap any individual or group.
The success of one person sometimes does not represent the success of a country. The first thing this person should do to be successful and represent the group is to make her accepted by the group she represents.
Of course, some people say that Chinese good face, do not dare to introspect themselves, dare not expose scars, do not admit their ugliness
China does lag behind a lot in development, especially in the 90s, looking at the prosperous world, we saw our own backwardness, realized the gap, and only then did we catch up. In the process of catching up, we also realized one thing, if the consciousness did not change, the mind was not advanced, then our catch-up was superficial, so the article denouncing the inferiority of the Chinese people did not know how popular it was at that time.
But, acknowledging backwardness is different from accepting labeling!
Are these really the characteristics of Asians? Are these the characteristics of Chinese? Isn't that a stereotype in the eyes of Westerners?
Are these characteristics carefully collected and summarized by Chen Man? Is this Chen Man's bravery in exposing the characteristics of the group?
Aren't these obvious features really not the stereotypes of ugliness and ridicule in the history of Westerners?
Are the features that Chen Man amplified are common to groups in a certain region? There's no doubt that this is not an Asian trait, much less a Chinese trait.
First of all, this is a discriminatory deformed aesthetic, and secondly, due to the backwardness of Modern and Contemporary Chinese aesthetics, when we study aesthetics, we will accept and amplify the Western discriminatory aesthetics with our feet.
Accept, and respect, be recognized in the West, and flaunt fashion in the East, but since it is said to amplify Chinese characteristics, why is such a look small and exaggerated in China? How did the niche suddenly become a feature of Asians and China?
In addition, Hong Huang gave an example of the French movie "Titanium" and the South Korean Netflix drama "Squid Game", believing that the two movies were from France and South Korea respectively, and asked the public why people did not rise to the element of insult. Why can people tolerate it?
I was really surprised to see such an example, because we thought that Hong Huang would take two movies that were completely out of the topic as examples. Hong Huang's implication is that Chen Man can have the courage to prove the characteristics of Asians and Chinese, but our people do not have the courage to admit it.
Two films: A female director makes a heavy taste film, which is an ethical drama at best, how can it be associated with insults?
The short drama "Squid Game" satirizes the indifference of capitalist society and tortures human nature, but how can this rise to insult South Korea? Satire and criticism are the most common forms of Korean genre films, and they are also the most common film techniques in Korean films and television. How can this be related to Chen Man's works?
Always want to tell us that you Asians, you Chinese are like this, do not accept, is not the courage to reveal their own scars, do not zoom in is to cover your ears and ring the bell. Not excellent, because there is no courage to face up to oneself, fear of promises and hypocrisy.
After being ridiculed from the decline of the Eastern Empire, such labels have been pasted again and again. Nowadays, is it wrong to stand up and say "no" to the act of labeling?
From the ballads to all aspects of life, this discriminatory paranoia penetrates deep into the cognition of Westerners. When we say no, we just want to tell them that we Orientals don't look like this, and that the ridicule of your ancestors should stop, please respect us. Isn't that right?
"The first time my mother went abroad was to attend your funeral" This is the eulogy of a mother who studied in the United States at her son's memorial service
I just brushed a video of a group of suspected African American teenagers attacking Asian-American students on the subway
It is prejudice that makes Asians disrespected, and it is prejudice that makes Chinese despised, even hostile
Westerners full of benevolence and morality, dedicated to Africans, biased in Asians, our rise hurts your interests, but Westerners must remember your evil deeds, not only the evil slave triangle trade, but also the colonial plundering of the East.
African-Americans make this group of Westerners who flaunt humanity feel guilty about the black slave trade, and Asians should also unite to let Westerners know that their ancestors have slaughtered and left a blood debt.
Afraid of sharpening contradictions and blindly giving in, it is better to strengthen their own strength, unite together, and strive for respect
There is no way back, which means a dead end
We have always advocated equality between people, but the premise of equality is that we use our strength to protect ourselves and defend the respect we deserve
We don't look like this, we don't recognize the Western kidnapping aesthetic, we don't agree with you to make insulting gestures and prejudices, how can this not be?
Africans are constantly fighting for their rights and interests, so why should Asians not speak up and fight? Why should Asians continue to endure groundless accusations?
The world is yours and ours
Chinese pay attention to hospitality, and Western society also promotes gentlemanly demeanor
Since there is a cultural accumulation in the bones, then prejudice should be stopped
Respect requires the strength of the other party to be jealous
So, we say no to bias
In addition, Hong Huang said please respect the work, but I think that the public's questioning of the work of art is also respect for the work, a work is made public, and the moment the author decides to release it, it goes to the public.
Chen Man's case, to put it bluntly, was the result of the work that we had worked on the Western-style kidnapping aesthetic, and I don't think we banned and erased these things, on the contrary, the previous works, like a mirror, can clearly reflect the ignorance and blind obedience that we fully accepted.
The past has become history, glorious or disgraceful are placed there, Chen Man's early works, some time ago a university fashion catwalk, let us realize the aesthetic deviation and fragmentation.
The masses and elites have such a big deviation in the aesthetics of the East and the West, and the lack of modern aesthetic education in our own is a pain point
I hope that in the future, there will not only be voices, not only national style, but also more powerful actions