Creative Pamphleteering-
Finding advertising in adolescent magazine that is objectifying and violent to women was way too easy and one of the images I chose to work with was this Calvin Klein ad that was featured in Teen Vougea magazine for 13 to 17 year olds.
The ad is for womens jeans and the woman in the picture is the only one with out jeans.
She looks like she has been drugged and is surrounded by several men in various stages of undress. One could surmirse the ad is glorifying gang rape.
I printed the image in a pamphlet form and typed in it as follows quote 1 in every 5 women is a victum of completed or attempted rape in their lifetime. end quote I cite the source for the statistic as well as where the image was found.
I printed 50 of these and walked over to Macy’s
I Inserted these into the pockets of calvin klein products in the womens and mens departments as well as on display cases and maniquins and photographed a few.
They maybe read as a part of the calvin klein branding or as a subversion I cant measure that but what i do know is I inserted a my voice in this moment of shopping.
Although I copied the image from a teen magazine I did not display them in the teen Calvin Klein Clothes the advertising to the teens is the issue and i dont need to reinforce it to them
The work is meant to reach the folks who are buying for or selling to teens
For this exhibit I printed my pamphlet larger and included photos of my actions and a artifact so folks would be able to hopefully understand it without my presence
I will say that it was illegal, I could have been kicked out or arrested, Calvin Klein and Macy’s could sue me, I would loose my Target Job and incur jail time or heavy fines. And that is what was at stake for me.
But whatt is really at stake is a future with advertising to teens
how it is moving increasingly more violent and in sexualized direction.
my work is meant to make an impact on the the consumer.
My message is that buying this products creates and funds advertising like this, that could make these images seem okay and normal to teens. I am hoping it will be prospective jarring and cause the consumer to second guess their purchase