WILL TANGENT BE LEFT RED FACED BY 'BLACKFACE' COVER?

What appears to be the second cover of Australian fashion e-zine, TANGENT MAG has leaked and it’s a whooper.

Featuring a unidentifiable model (her id obscured by blackface makeup), the e-zine’s creators seem to have taken inspiration from (the highly controversial) October issue of Vogue Paris, that featured Dutch model Lara Stone in blackface make up.

Unfortunately (I guess it depends on how you look at it) for TANGENT's creators, the Steven Klein editorial created such a furore and prompted swift condemnation from industry insiders and media.

Both Klein and Vogue Paris's Editor-in-Chief, Carine Roitfeld were criticized for being ‘culturally insensitive’ and ‘tactless’. While the harshest criticism was delivered by US website Jezebel, “It's kind of sickening to think that minstrelsy has become just another "reference" for po-mo fashion editorials to "appropriate" to show how "edgy" they are, "conceptually."

Since the issue of ‘blackface’ remains, thanks to television show Hey Hey it’s Saturday and Harry Connick, Jr. a hot button issue with the Australian media, Imelda can’t help but wonder, is the 'blackface' cover simply a conscience attempt at courting controversy, in order to garner publicity for the fledgling publication?

If so…I’d suggest they batten down the hatches because the 'Hey Hey' black-lash was as fast as it was furious!

Neither TANGENT Editor-in-Chief, Heather Cairns nor Creative Director, Emmanuel Giraud were available for comment.

UPDATED - A spokesperson from TANGENT MAG has confirmed the above image will be the publications second cover. The spokesperson also denied the image was part a publicity offensive, saying that the editorial was inspired by “chess pieces” and that creator was unaware of the recent furore (created by ‘Hey Hey it’s Saturday’).

Comments

[Adrian]

Hi there, i really feel like posting a comment about this article, can't believe the way has been done the criticism to a 2nd issue cover of a new fashion mag online as the TANGETMAG is...fashion world is not someone's monarchy, and the writer of this article is not a king...VALENTINO is, and a few together with him can really criticize anything they want...everyone else are so but soooo small that they need to learn how to use ideas from anyone and anything around them...and YOU are part of them, using someone's words makes YOU even smaller...i live in Milan, capital of fashion, and the good criticism is only the constructive one, from YOUR (but not..) words i can just get kind of envy 4 something that is just different than your own ideas, putting someone's work down it won't help to put in a good light your own one...YOU definitely need to eat sooo much sh.. (an italian way to say..) b4 you can allow yourself to do any criticism, get smart boy and you'll get even better doing your own job..(example: Bottega Veneta, one 't'...).
Always remember when you do something like that you should expect another criticism to your own one because there's always who's better than you...and, last thing, you are talking about getting publicity by the TANGETMAG?? you in first place are giving them that, 'talking good or bad is enough they talk about', Napoleon says..
good luck, Adrian

[Rebecca]

I don't know what to make of this cover.
On the one havd minstrel make-up and the act's are offensive to me.
Then again this is not strictly minstrel make-up and I can't help but wonder if this was say yellow paint on the model would people be upset about that?
The insult in 'blackface' make-up lies in the nasty characterture like immitation, this doesn't quite fit that image for me.

This cover leaves me confused ....

[Imelda Matt]

Adrian – I don’t pretend to be a KING and nor am I criticising the creative decisions taken by editors of TANGENT MAG. I am simply pointing out that this ‘idea’ has already been executed by an alternative publication.

Personally I find painting the face of a white model black, uninspired and it demonstrated (in the post ‘Hey Hey’ frenzy) a lack of foresight.

What is true, was my suggestion that (in light of the recent ‘blackface’ outrage) this could have been publicity stunt. I’ve since confirmed that this wasn’t the intention and that the CD was unaware of either of the ‘blackface’ incidents.

Of course, what to make of that is an entirely different matter.

As for idea that I’m impervious to criticism…I say ‘bring.it’

R – True. While the Vogue shoot wasn’t on par with the more historically accurate use of blackface (seen on ‘Hey Hey’), it did raise serious questions about the issue of racism (allegedly rife throughout the industry).

As for painting a white model yellow I can’t be certain but I imagine people would find that highly offensive.

Personally, I’m confused by the lack of foresight.

[Rebecca]

I think after some more thought that if you are going to paint a models face in this way then it's best to stick to outlandish colours like blue and green etc.

Actually a silver blue would have looked a lot more appealing to me in this shot than this 'blackface'.

You do have to wonder that no-one in the team behind the shoot called them on this one....