Huh. That is really weird without any kind of explanation.

And the white woman has the /exact/ same expression on her face in every picture...

It's very likely that it parodies colonialism.

Since it is titled "best friends," this reminds me of previous posts you all have done on white people wanting black friends in order to be cool, where the black person is desired based on racial stereotypes about "flavor" and "soul" or the white person wants props for having a diverse friend group.

I doubt it was intended, but this photo set ties that attitude in with colonial attitudes in my head.

I am not sure if the photgrapher has any underlying message.
Perhaps we are seeking to put our own interpretation on it when the photgrapher is just taking what he considers "Sexy".

One person naked and one person clothed automatically indicates that the clothed person is "in charge"...I'm pretty sure if a photographer wanted to make a commentary on how *wrong* slavery/racism is, the pictures would show horror/cruelty. And since it's just about impossible for me to rationalize how this could NOT be about slavery (though others may be able to)...then this must mean that the audience is supposed to find it "hot." Beyond this being two women for the obvious "LEZBEUNZ!!!! OMG!!!!" reaction, it seems to be a romanticization of the little white girl who loved the little slave girl who was assigned to take care of her like she was her own sister...you know, a reminiscence of the "good old days"....('scuze me while I puke...)

I don't really think these are meant to be taken as a "parody" of colonialism. A direct reproduction of colonial imagery with no context does not automatically suggest "parody", at least not to me.

Thinking cynically for a moment, I wonder if the photographer intentionally tries to create a controversial image as a way to be considered cutting edge in the fashion photography world. Therefore, there really isn't any greater artistic purpose. There is merely a tactic to generate artistic credibility or attention through shock and titilation.

The fact that there isn't a text other than the image to provide a "fixed" context is the escape valve. If the images prove to be too controversial, the artist (or the image purchaser) can claim after the fact that the photos are a critique or a parody of what they supposedly represent. But lacking that kind of controversy, the photographer (or image owner) is free to enjoy a cutting edge reputation by flirting with taboos without offending "the wrong people."

When I think of artists trying to make a name for themselves (or trying to keep their relevance), I can't help shake the feeling that they KNOW (as everyone else suspects) that a breaking of taboo or creation of a controversy is an easy shortcut to their desired amount of fame.

This shoot really creeps me out. The black woman looks like a kidnapping victim. Does not at all make me want the clothes.

This is disgusting! The media barely make a peep when it comes to serial murders of Black women. The most recent is the Rocky Mount, N.C. serial murder case when nine Black women went missing or dead and not one media coverage on the major networks. CNN barely covered the story.

The link: http://httpjournalsaolcomjenjer6steph.blogspot.com/2009/08/search-for-serial-killer-after-six-turn.html

The point is that Black women have been sexualized and fetishized for the perverse pleasure of Western men and women for centuries. Our bodies are always available to any man for the taking and I, as a Black woman, am sick and tired of it.

When is the Black woman going to receive justice? Never? Please tell me.

I think once you take away clothing, you take away dignity. No personal privacy. I agree on the sense of ownership. Naked slaves anyone?!! No power.

all of this is OMGWTF? material but, wow, what is that last image? Not only are these not images of friends (since the white girl CLEARLY has the privileged position via stepping forward, clothed, stronger face, and/or standing up) but it looks to me like the black model is bound and gagged there. What the hell was this black girl thinking? What were either of them thinking? How bout you stylist? Photographer? You holding up the light? Editor? Publisher? Somebody say SOMETHING, this is craziness!

Too bad we don't have the opposite photo. The comments would likely be the opposite as well. "Look how they glorify the nude white female as the standard of perfection but must cover the black woman because of her inferiority.", blah, blah, blah...

When you read enough comments on various topics swinging to extremes, people just need to find reasons to be outraged. Race has nothing to do with that.

Bill, How about you go ahead and find us the opposite photo? Does it even exist? I sincerely doubt it.

I'm not the one who first made claims about how racist these picture are because one race is clothed and the other is not. If you think they're racist why don't you try finding one with a nude white woman and a clothed black woman and deconstruct that first and compare the two.

I don't have the time of desire to pour through the inevitable porn images that a search will turn up. I have no idea even how to find these fashion magazine photos which to me are amongst the lowest forms of artistic endeavor.

Here's an easier exercise: Find how many white women are shown in Playboy versus black women.

Is that racist too? Of course someone will say it is. You can't win! Show nude black women and it's racist. Don't show black women, and it's racist.

When you show a black women: "Black women are being fetishized."
When you don't show black women: "Black woman are not being represented."

My first thought, as someone who has done modeling, is "Maybe the white model doesn't do nudity, but the black model does." It struck me that the black model was always naked, while the white model was often as naked as she could be without actually being naked.

I don't know. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one. Or else this could be racist, imperialist colonialism represented through naked models. Whichever.

My first thought, as someone who has done modeling, is "Maybe the white model doesn't do nudity, but the black model does." It struck me that the black model was always naked, while the white model was often as naked as she could be without actually being naked.

I don't know. Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one. Or else this could be racist, imperialist colonialism represented through naked models. Whichever.

Bill,

These are the images we have. We are not operating in abstract, holding these real images against your IMAGINED images or operating in bizarro world where white people were slaves and black people were slaveholders. We are in the REAL WORLD and these are the real images, and these images aren't innocent into proven guilty. They've already been convicted. If you want to make an appeal on their behalf, the burden is on YOU. You gather the evidence in their defense.

I am just curious to know: Why do you defend them so furiously? What about the charge is an affront to you? Do you believe it is EVER valid to call something racist? If yes, what do you consider to be validly racist? If no, why not?

You state that "You can't win!" What is it that you want to win? Why?

Camille, I work on principles. If you don't have principles, you have nothing. If it's wrong to have a black person nude and not a white person, the reverse must necessarily also be wrong. If it is not, you are propagating a double standard. Isn't it funny how abolishing double-standards used to be the calling card of previous feminist waves? These days feminists learned how to embrace double-standards for their own purposes.

And Camille, the "you" in my post typically is known as the second person, specifically second person plural. Which means I'm not referring to myself. I'm referring to you as collective. It seems no matter what images you see, you'll always have a reason to complain and will never reach satisfaction.

Bill, it is not necessarily because the white woman is clothed, and the black woman isn't. It's HOW the pair are represented in the images. The Black woman is gagged, bound, or her face is covered in an essence to take away her rights, humanity, what have you.

While the white woman is shown close up, head up and viably in a position of 'Strength'. If you want a picture to show how a clothing magazine picturing 'friends' should look, [IMG]http://i26.tinypic.com/28am6f8.jpg[/IMG]

http://tinypic.com/r/28am6f8/3

The fact is, if the roles were reversed, yes it would be just as bad. Again, it is the WAY the photo's are taken, showing the black woman to be submissive to the authoritative white woman.

Why is that so difficult to comprehend?

Well, I saw Bill's initial comment earlier and made a mental note to come back and write. I see others are challenging it, which is good.

He says that if it were a nude white woman and a clothed black woman, we'd still take issue with it. because we party-poopers just point out all the underlying racism in nekkid pictures. Well, actually, yes...a series of photos that showed a nude white woman and a clothed black woman WOULD still be racist...he's right about that, and the reason he gave is a very good one. I would wonder what is wrong with the black female body; is the photographer telling us that it is not beautiful and must be covered? very good point, Bill, you're thinking sociologically. to an extent. But the way you "proved" that we're all just a bunch of people combing the forest for the mushrooms of racism is by offering another situation that would, in fact, have racial implications.

If these women were both nude or both clothed, and if they alternated between top and bottom in their S&M games, then I would more quickly buy the idea that they are equal "best friends." But as it is, these photos hint VERY heavily at slavery.

BTW, Bill, how did you find this website actually? Did you do an image search for "White women with black slaves" or something? Seriously, cause you don't seem like the kind of person who would hang out on a sociological blog.

ewwww

I think you are all reading way too much into these photos. The photographer simply wanted a controversial photo shoot and has achieved his goal! He could have just easily had the white woman naked and the black woman clothed but that wouldn't have stirred up as many people.

this is WHITE SUPREMACY AT WORK

and anyone who does not see the "superior" position of the white model VS the "inferior" position of the black model is either blind or....

Anyone remember the National Geographic magazine?

with black women and bare breasts

at a time when nudity of any kind for HUMAN BEINGS was forbidden?

but - since black women -- black people -- are animals (less than human)

showing a black woman's breasts was no more serious

than showing a cow's UDDERS.

This so-called fashion photo shoot

is the same d**n thing

in my humble opinion...

once we learn what white supremacy looks like

we will recognize it EVERYWHERE

If we (black people) do not learn how to recognize

and oppose it

we will continue to be VICTIMIZED

your assis hot

good

This is so problematic I don't even know what to say. I wonder what would happen if a photo shoot was done with a naked,bound white woman and a clothed black woman... And sure, let's label it "fashion" while we're at it...

i don't get it...it seems very contrived to me, designed to elicit (quasi)intelligent comments
in the art studios of the real world, the models....well, they just don't look like these goddesses.
i should know, i have been a naked model for quite a number of years

ok... wow. that's not fashion. is that even considered modeling? that's just... wow.... just wow. I am very very shocked.

Jesus!
The black model in the fourth photo (with the blonde wearing a red jacket) looks... she looks like she's about to cry. Also: is that a... fencing mask?

Strange Thing #2:
From a fashion-mag POV, this is confusing. These garments have nothing to do with each other. You'd think they'd be related in some way, but there's no apparent theme (except partial nudity). And I'm REALLY good at finding patterns. I even looked to see if maybe the two women were wearing one outfit between them in each photo or something like that (y'know, because "best friends" share clothes— get it?), but no dice. Even if you ignore the random nudity (pretty standard, sigh) and the oddness of only-the-black-model-is-naked, and the ridiculous slack-jawed Magnum face (or is it Blue Steel?) the blonde is giving us, it just... makes no sense.

Strange Thing #3:
What's up with their hair? How comez the white model's hair is the same in every single photo (ie: huge, out, and being blown back)? I thought it might be a tad different in the second-to-last shot, but nope— it's just being held down by the cord of her domino. Meanwhile, the black model's hair/head is styled differently in each shot. Eh?

You got to say, that the black girl is uncountable times hotter than the white girl.I only say perfect body(the black girl's body).Americans really have some serious problems with stuff like that.

Maybe it's about Sadomasochism...These sorts of black/white BDSM relationships exist...Where the black person is the slave, and the master is white. I am black...It is very weird to think of a person of any color wating to give up control of their life. I think too much is being read ito this. I think it is aout two, lesbian-ish BDSM lifestylers(BDSM=chic way to promote high fashion?)...It just so happes the models were black/white.

I see your point. The white girl is not even nude and even has little implieds. It is a little disturbing.

The images are beautiful, though...Both models look stunning. Not quite sure what to do with it.

Black women are chosen as models for fashion editorial/print b/c of a combination of their curvy physique, exotic beauty, and sex appeal. It's a fact of life. That's how black models get jobs(With the exception of the weirdly alien African models).

The other model(White) has the "alienish" model. White models go from beautiful, alien, ethereal...But its hard for black models transcend the mainly nonAfrican(Fashion) world as anything other than being model worthy in a primitive sense(African-centered Fashion photog) or in an "Urban honey" way , even in the world of Haute Couture fashion, photography, etc etc, as we here see.

@ nadia who said, "Black women are chosen as models for fashion editorial/print b/c of a combination of their curvy physique, exotic beauty, and sex appeal. It’s a fact of life. That’s how black models get jobs(With the exception of the weirdly alien African models)."

What is most interesting about your comment -- and I agree with some of it -- is this (bizarre) notion that the first AND oldest people on the planet, who were AFRICANS, are "exotic" and "weirdly alien"

while the youngest and smallest racial group (politically speaking), who are Europeans, are somehow considered the "norm" when they are less than 10% of the world's population

Of course, the images reflect the inherent racism/white supremacy MINDSET that has infected the planet, just as it has infected and distorted any dialogue about race, like one in which seemingly intelligent people describe other human beings -- just because they look different -- as "exotic."

I agree with you. It's great to talk to someone in the interwebs who isn't a douche...It seems like a lot of racial dialogue begins on sites like these by people who really don't affect anything in the world but deem it necessary to try their best to make things worse, lol.

Well, Europeans may not be the majority in the world, but we are still minorities in their mind. In a way, I understand it. They are used to their own physical forms of beauty and it is hard to transcend that notion(Even Indian, Hispanic and Asian girls are becoming the more "Desired minorities" now because Europeans are discovering that they have physical qualities which are somewhat like theirs.) When you break it down, there are even Europeans who have trouble coexisting with other Europeans. As far as physical beautiy is concerned, i've heard of some non-Italaian Europeans who think that Italian women look like men/have moustaches, which always makes me laugh. Italian chicks are beautiful. Political wise, some Irish still hate the English/vise versa because of centuries old feuds between the two which didn't really end until the 80s.

Their is still a problem with Chechens and the more European Russians, and the Gypsies still find it hard as well in Europe, etc etc.

With that sort of inter-racial(I don't believe that Europeans are the same...They are descended from different tribes. Dacians are not Gauls, Picts are not Saxons, etc etc. Some are related...But some are obviously physically different. Just like Fulani is not synonymous with Kenyan, Eritreans are different from Nigerians.) tension it's no surprise that minorities find it hard to find equality amongst Europeans. Many Europeans don't even get along with one another. This Pan-European outlook in the American media is not supported by history.

Did any of this make sense O_o?

Remember, "Might makes right"...If you have the power, and the majority of power in the world is held by Caucasians, then you can decide that, for example, Africans are "Exotic" and "Weirdly alien"...And of course, having an appearance which, at most extremes, and at it's darkest and most Subsaharan is completely the opposite of what Europeans are use to, I can see how, even in an innocent way they just might exoticize something they are not use to.

Naked Black women are not considered obscene, or at least not as obscene. We are conditioned by years of National Geographic images of Black and Brown women naked or naked above the waist, while never a solitary photo of a White woman even bare breasted.
In Japan it is unacceptable for (photos of) Japanese women to be publicly displayed naked, while White women are displayed naked or nearly so.
I sense this as I am not nearly as struck by a picture of a naked Black woman as of a White woman. They just look more "natural" naked than White women. But all of us are born naked, so it's really just as natural for White as Black women to be naked. Our prejudices and stereotypes cannot always be explained.

@ Macey

The ONLY reason naked BW are not considered obscene is they are not considered "human." The same way a female animal is not seen as "human," and the same way black women and black men stood on a slave auction block stark naked:

because they were seen as less than human, non-people, who did not deserve the rights, freedom, or dignity that white people take for granted.

For anyone to try to rationalize this even YOU admitted white females were NOT shown in this manner, considering the era that National Geographic was a mainstay in every doctor's and dentist's office -- is more evidence of how white people play the nut role when other whites are practicing racism against non-whites to DECEIVE non-whites (like myself) that we are being mistreated.

However, those of us who understand how white supremacy is practiced, are not so easily fooled.