Renowned photographer Chen Man and international luxury brand Dior on Tuesday (November 23) apologized for a photograph displayed at an exhibition in Shanghai that was heavily criticized. Chen said she was “immature and ignorant”.
In a photo that has gone viral in China, a young woman with freckles and heavy makeup around her eyes looks at the camera with a piercing eye and a slight smile.
The picture of the chain was restricted from two opposing angles. Some thought the model embodied Western stereotypes about Asians, while others said the gaudy style degraded Chinese faces.
“I am Chinese, born and raised, and I love my homeland very much,” Chen wrote. “I know that as an artist I have to take the responsibility of capturing and communicating Chinese culture and showcasing Chinese beauty through my work. This is a goal I stick to and want to work towards. ”
The photograph was initially displayed at the Lady Dior exhibition at the West Bund Art Center, which lasted until 23 November. Dior removed the picture after criticism.
Chen apologized that he “did not understand the performance well” and said that some of his previous works were heavy and “bad impressions”.
The earlier work that received particularly harsh criticism was called 12 Chinese Colors, which is similar to the viral photo and features heavily stylized Chinese women wearing heavy makeup, artistic hairstyles and unique costumes.
Chen said she didn’t live up to her artistic values at the time and had removed some of her old photos from her personal online profile.
She said she would read more Chinese history and attend more educational programs.
Dyer also apologized, saying: “We removed the work as soon as there was criticism from the Internet. We value people’s opinion, respect the sentiments of the Chinese people and strictly comply with Chinese laws and regulations and will follow the relevant supporting departments in evaluating all publicly displayed works.
The response has not been universal, however, with some saying China’s mainstream beauty standards are too narrow.
Last week, a Weibo blogger wrote that she spoke to Westerners, who said that Asian style is unique and a reluctance to push boundaries is the reason why “the celebrity faces we like on the Internet don’t matter.” “.
Chen is a modern contemporary photographer, visual artist and creative director known for his bold, colorful images that flirt with the surreal.
Western brands in China consistently deal with local sensibility. In 2019, Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana posted videos in which a Chinese model clumsily tries to eat Italian food with chopsticks.
The ads were widely viewed as offensive and provoked consumer backlash which is negatively affecting the brand in the mainland.
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