Being art, there's a deeper meaning, natch, as explained by ILoveBelgium.be.Titled “The beauty of an ugly addiction”, photographer Frieke Janssens confronts viewers with questions about the general smoking ban introduced in Belgium some months ago. Surrealistic, melancholic and theatrical but especially controversial pictures of smoking kids are used to visualise the contradiction of the unhealthy cigarette and the immense attraction of smoking.Well, there is that, yes.
The children, aged four to nine, are shameless posing while enjoying their cigarette or cigarillo. So why kids? By portraying adults as children all the attention went to the smoking. An adult would draw to much attention to the portrayed person. Thus these portraits evoke question such as: is the smoking ban the right way to get rid of an absurd addiction and are smokers treated like little kids who can’t make the difference between good and bad?
Just to prove that no kids were harmed in the making of these images (though a couple of Belgian anti-smokers suffered instantaneous heart attacks), here's the 'making of' vid.
The full set is here.
10 comments:
Banning opium or cocaine or making street prostitution a crime never stopped any of them did it. I like the poster and will be looking to buy one.
I must say with the make-up and dress giving them a veneer of adulthood makes some of them look quite sexy .is this what the artist was aiming for.
XX I must say with the make-up and dress giving them a veneer of adulthood makes some of them look quite sexy .is this what the artist was aiming for. XX
I think your local coppers should be taking a long hard look at you and your fucking down loads laddie.
Erm...Furor...isn't your attitude precisely what we are fighting against? You have assumed evil intent, whereas Anon 18.59 has merely stated a fact (as he sees it) and has queried the 'artist's' intentions.
You will be saying what a shame it is that children have to 'suffer' from their parents' smoking next.
It's a shame the parents have to suffer from their children's smoking. There you go, Junican, that was right, wasn't it? ;-)
Actually I'm slightly envious of the precocious little brat who can blow smoke rings. I never did get the hang of that.
XX Junican said...
Erm...Furor....
You will be saying what a shame it is that children have to 'suffer' from their parents' smoking next. XX
Not at all.
My whole family smoked. Never did me any harm. Did not start myself until 30 years old.
Three year old wants to smoke, let it. Not my problem. IF it is a "problem" at ALL.
Raise the young ones properly and with good sense, able to make decisions on their own without paying attention to government propaganda and preaching the political gospel of lies in the schools and when they grow up, they can make their own decisions whether to smoke, drink or eat salted fatty foods or not - all on their own accord. Then we can save money from not having to fund government quangoes to do all the thinking for them. If they want to engage in a little smoking or drinking play action at a young age to pretend to be grown-ups, then no harm done as long as they've been raised to make their own decisions and not be quangoized by the state into strict observance of state mandated rules/bans/restrictions/cattle-herding. Therefore, to me, I do not see these photos offensive but delightful - and cute.
Angry Exile: I'm slightly envious of the precocious little brat who can blow smoke rings. I never did get the hang of that.
Make an O, exhale slowwwly and click your jaw. It's all in the click. Go...practice.
Tattyfalarr, thanks for the advice but it's too late. I gave up smoking ages ago. No concession to the healthists, I should say. I just wasn't enjoying smoking anymore.
The Daily Mail should send you a finders Fee, DP.
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