• Jezebel
  • celebrity
  • sex
  • fashion
  • Profile logout login

#stevenkleinblackface

Jezebel

Share Cancel
   
Upload an image | Add an image URL
×

logging in
  • FAQ. Include # before tag:
  • #tips,
  • #snapjudgment,
  • #groupthink,
  • etc.

New York, 12:31 AM
Sat Nov 28
29 posts in the last 24 hours

Tip your editors:
tips@jezebel.com

Editor-in-Chief:
Anna Holmes
Email | Twitter

Deputy Editor:
Dodai Stewart
Email | Twitter

Senior Contributing Editor:
Tracie Egan
Email | Twitter

Contributing Editors:
Anna North
Email | Twitter
Sadie Stein
Email | Twitter

Reporter:
Irin Carmon
Email | Twitter

Editorial Assistant:
Margaret Hartmann
Email | Twitter

Contributors:
Rich Juzwiak
Email | Twitter
Latoya Peterson
Email
Jenna Sauers
Email
Lizzie Skurnick
Email

Interns:
Katy Kelleher
Twitter


Weekends/Commenter Moderator:
Hortense
Email | Twitter

SUBSCRIBE TO Jezebel RSS

New: Breaking news and daily top stories via email
1770 Subscribers
Jezebel
  • posts about #stevenkleinblackface more →

    Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"

    Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before
  • Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.
    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny. Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
    10/19/09

    In reply to Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
    Oooooooo, a Black Madonna. She's so edgy. Her references are off the scale. OOoooooo.

    Please, who hasn't heard of a Black Madonna. Give me a break. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny. was starred Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny. was unstarred
    Image of jenrobe jenrobe
    10/19/09

    @Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.: Erm, anyone who hasn't studied Medieval art and religion, at a guess? It's not like you can pick up a six pack of them at the supermarket. I think she made a good call. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    jenrobe was starred jenrobe was unstarred
    Image of Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny. Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny.
    10/20/09

    @jenrobe: Oh she undoubtedly made a good call. She just isn't OFF THE SCALE with her references. Anyone with a college degree (and a great many people without one) have heard of a Black Madonna, or at least know how to use Google well enough to find it. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny. was starred Vivelafat says Sweep the leg, Johnny. was unstarred
    Image of LaComtesse LaComtesse
    10/19/09

    In reply to Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
    Oh yes, Madonna is known for nothing if not her "off-the-Richter-Scale-references." Please enlighten me as to what the symbolism behind "Lucky Star" is, Madonna. Or even the super-profound lyrics "Nothing really matters/Love is all we need/Everything I give you all comes back to me"? I can't wait to have my mind blown. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    LaComtesse was starred LaComtesse was unstarred
    Image of Grim Reaper of the Forest Grim Reaper of the Forest
    10/19/09

    In reply to Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
    I didn't realize Madonna actually had any filter for tastelessness or appropriating cultural/religious imagery. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    Grim Reaper of the Forest was starred Grim Reaper of the Forest was unstarred
    Image of thesciencegirl thesciencegirl
    10/19/09

    In reply to Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
    "I painted my face black, except for red lips and white eyes."

    Oh honey, that's neither original nor difficult to get. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    thesciencegirl was starred thesciencegirl was unstarred
    Image of heykoukla heykoukla
    10/19/09

    In reply to Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
    And here I was still trying to figure out what subtle and undoubtedly obscure references she was getting at with Hard Candy, the pink lollipop background and the crotch shot. Oh Madonna, I can't keep up! #madonnablackface
     Reply
    heykoukla was starred heykoukla was unstarred
    Image of ShinyMcShine ShinyMcShine
    10/19/09

    In reply to Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
    If Madonna (!) decides the controversy isn't worth it, that's saying something. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    cate3710 promoted this comment ShinyMcShine was starred ShinyMcShine was unstarred
    Image of sydbarrettsaves, emissary of hell sydbarrettsaves, emissary of hell
    10/19/09

    In reply to Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
    What's to get? #madonnablackface
     Reply
    sydbarrettsaves, emissary of hell was starred sydbarrettsaves, emissary of hell was unstarred
    Image of Highsmith Highsmith
    10/19/09

    In reply to Madonna: "I Did A Photo Shoot With Steven Klein, And I Painted My Face Black"
    "It happens all the time, because my references are usually off the Richter scale."

    Don't flatter yourself. Some of us "get it", we just don't like it. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    bluebears promoted this comment Highsmith was starred Highsmith was unstarred
    Image of bluebears bluebears
    10/19/09

    @Highsmith: seriously. And here's a crazy concept sometimes shit can have more than one meaning ie. black Madonna and blackface. I mean...big red lips? sorry, but that is fucking offensive, I can't believe she'd even consider it. ass. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    bluebears was starred bluebears was unstarred
    Image of olivia2.0 olivia2.0
    10/19/09

    @bluebears: See, what I can't believe is that she didn't just do it anyways. But yes, your sentiment is seconded here. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    bluebears promoted this comment olivia2.0 was starred olivia2.0 was unstarred
    Image of sheenapunk sheenapunk
    10/19/09

    @bluebears: What I want to know is--does Steven Klein love blackface? Was it his idea or hers? Why is he the blackface go-to photographer? ???? #madonnablackface
     Reply
    bluebears promoted this comment sheenapunk was starred sheenapunk was unstarred
    Image of bluebears bluebears
    10/19/09

    @sheenapunk: yeah, there's an issue there. clearly. #madonnablackface
     Reply
    bluebears was starred bluebears was unstarred
    Image of Rooo sez BISH PLZ Rooo sez BISH PLZ
    10/16/09

    In reply to Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before
    Hmm.

    So that whole "We only did it 'cuz it was fresh and edgy" argument is officially stale and about to get sandpapered down? #stevenkleinblackface
     Reply
    Rooo sez BISH PLZ was starred Rooo sez BISH PLZ was unstarred
    Image of tigolbitties tigolbitties
    10/16/09

    In reply to Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before
    i thought the women over at threadbared offered an amazing response to this, especially since i was gobsmacked reading many of the comments in the first jezebel post about this. for those who have trouble understanding what the problem is with this, i'd suggest this as a starting point: [threadbared.blogspot.com] #stevenkleinblackface
     Reply
    tigolbitties was starred tigolbitties was unstarred
    Image of robotsattack robotsattack
    10/16/09

    In reply to Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before
    this reminds me growing up as an indian kid in an affluent white neighborhood- kids would make comments like "did you buy that at the 99 cents store?" when id wear a traditional indian shirt or "why are you copying gwen stefani/madonna?" when i'd show up to school wearing mendhi after a wedding or a bindi on my forehead. i guess its okay when white people pretend to be "ethnic" because its cool and edgy but ethnic people cant observe their own culture or live in their own identity without being made to feel like the "other". #stevenkleinblackface
     Reply
    cate3710 promoted this comment robotsattack was starred robotsattack was unstarred
    Image of Niko Bellic Niko Bellic
    10/16/09

    In reply to Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before
    This shit should be marked NSFW.
     Reply
    Edited by Niko Bellic at 10/16/09 3:39 PM Niko Bellic was starred Niko Bellic was unstarred
    Image of kbang kbang
    10/16/09

    In reply to Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before
    While the issue of colour is obvious, I also have a MAJOR problem with the positioning of the models. Every single one is on the floor, which brings a whole whack of connotations that aren't necessarily good.

    #2 and #3 in particular have a very submissive, powerless vibe to them. Am I alone in seeing themes of slavery in these images? A very specific male gaze is at play here; one that is looking at a dolled-up, dark-skinned, female that is essentially at his feet. Not good.

    There are so many offensive elements in the photographs, and even if I were to overlook the objections that I take, I still don't feel as if they are successful fashion shots. #stevenkleinblackface
     Reply
    yvanehtnioj approved this comment kbang was starred kbang was unstarred
    Image of Peebers says what? Peebers says what?
    10/16/09

    In reply to Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before
    Just wondering, did it bother people as much when makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin featured Tori Amos as a Native American in his book Face Forward? He played around a lot with race and gender. I know it hasn’t got the same historical baggage as blackface, but it’s interesting to think about. #stevenkleinblackface
     Reply
    cate3710 promoted this comment hortense approved this comment Peebers says what? was starred Peebers says what? was unstarred
    Image of cate3710 cate3710
    10/16/09

    @Peebers says what?: Apparently Amos is part Cherokee - [ethnicelebs.com]

    That makes it bother me less, I think. Some poking around on Google indicates that this fact is in the book, along with some history, including a mention of the Trail of Tears. So he didn't do it in a bubble of isolation, which helps a lot. #stevenkleinblackface
     Reply
    cate3710 was starred cate3710 was unstarred
    Image of Sputnik_Sweetheart Sputnik_Sweetheart
    10/16/09

    In reply to Fashion Photographer Steven Klein Has Done Blackface Before
    This has got me thinking. You have an Italian Vogue spread in blackface, the Spanish Olympic basketball team pulling their eyes to the side in an official photo, the Italian president saying repeatedly that the American president has a nice tan, Miley Cyrus and her friends making "Asian faces" in a photo, countless Teabagger protest signs, performers dressing in blackface on Australian TV, and another spread in blackface for French Vogue. Each time people are shocked and disgusted, but yet it keeps happening.

    I don't really know where I'm going with this. Just thinking aloud, I guess. #stevenkleinblackface
     Reply
    Sputnik_Sweetheart was starred Sputnik_Sweetheart was unstarred
    Earlier discussions Other discussions Show all discussions Show featured discussions only Start a new discussion

Login

Enter your username and password.

Please enter a username.
Please enter your password.
logging in
Login via Facebook | Sign Up | Forgot Password?

Reset Password

Please enter your email address to have your password reset.

Please enter your email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
requesting password reset

Register

Registering will give you a user profile and the ability to add other users as friends. To become a commenter, however, you need to audition.

Want to know more? Consult the Comment FAQ and legal terms.

Please enter a username.
Please enter a password.
Please confirm your password.
Passwords are not identical.
Please enter a valid email address.
registration sent, waiting for reply

Submit Your Comment

You don't need to login to comment. Just enter your email address below.

See how your address will be displayed in the Comment FAQ.

Please enter a valid email address.
Please enter a valid email address.
logging in

Login with your Facebook or Jezebel account.

Sign up here.



  • Archives
  • About
  • Advertising
  • Legal
  • Help
  • Report a Bug
  • FAQ
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.