Thin End Of The Media Wedge

                                                      

The false portrayal of women in the media has increased in popularity over the decades, however the creeping acceptance of overly polished images has proven to have very serious real life consequences. It’s long overdue that we took a step back to take stock of how these images affect us all.

Over the next three issues, Chimp’s fashion section is dedicated to visually exploring the key areas; digital ‘enhancement’; body dismorphia and eating disorders, and finally body acceptance.

In this first study we explore the plasticisation of women: the currently accepted media norm of women as Barbie or as mannequins; over-airbrushed figures; a parody of our true selves.

We’ve come a long way from the soft focus, hand repainted images of twenties Hollywood starlets to the current vogue for full-blown digital ‘correction’ on a mass scale. Contemporary photographers such as David

LaChapelle create true art by utilising finely honed digital enhancement in an open and integral part of their statement, resulting in wonderful, other-worldly pieces.

This artistry is echoed in film, with James Cameron’s “Avatar” and Tim Burton’s “Alice In Wonderland” prime examples of fantastical works achievable with technology, artistry and dedication.

It’s the dilution of this process into everyday media, the comparatively substandard airbrushing being passed off as reality, which truly patronises and underestimates the intelligence of the viewer. Yet, as false as these images blatantly are, with such daily bombardment of fakery passed off as reality in magazine features, advertising etc, we seem to have become anaesthetised to these methods. Perhaps, on a subconscious level, we accept them.

Some individual photographs have raised heads when the originators are accused of over airbrushing, but these cases are rare. Take Beyonce Knowles’s L’Oreal ad campaign where the company were accused of lightening the artist’s skin tone. L’Oreal retaliated with: “It is categorically untrue that L’Oreal Paris altered Ms Knowles’s features or skin tone.”

As any creative will tell you, integral to the make up, lighting and airbrushing of a model is making their skin glow, accentuating highlights to radiate health... and ultimately lightening the skin in places.

To me, this wasn’t a skin colour issue, it was airbrushing being recognised by the viewer in a different guise and so unrealistic that it jarred us out of our acceptance. Yes Beyonce is a beautiful woman, but it’s obvious that retouching was involved to conform to the now standard editorial practice.

Shirlaine Forrest