Theatre of Cruelty

[substitute]

Lincoln Clarkes' heroines is a disturbing article to me. The guy took some fascinating pictures of prostitutes in Vancouver BC, but his outlook appears very twisted to me.

I don't think prostitutes are "strong women" or "survivors". Maybe survivors in the sense that someone who's just been shot and is bleeding to death is currently surviving. I also don't care for his dumb play on word "heroines". Plays on words don't do much for me when they're about people who are suffering and going to die.

Everything isn't art, guy. Some things, like young women on drugs, being used by the sex industry, and dying before their time, are real, and it takes more than a spoonful of sugar to make it all better.

Comments

Re: based on the article I can't agree

[flipzagging.livejournal.com]

You're reacting to one quote from one guy who happens to own some of his photos. I agree the LA Times article is falls into the cliché of seeing the artwork as romantically heroic.

But even so, I am not concerned with purity of his intentions or the viewers'. At a level of sheer reportage this story needs telling. I've been through (and more frequently, around) the DTES and the article is totally right. Canada's always wanting to be world-class in something... Vancouver's found its niche: scenery and self-destruction.

Frankly I think it exposes the hypocrisy of Canada (at least some regions, like here).

Re: based on the article I can't agree

[substitute.livejournal.com]

The tone of both the article and his quotes was horribly patronizing. Read eyeteeth's post to see this put better than I can at 0140 :)