Chen Man’s introduction on his Weibo homepage is that he is an international fashion photographer and visual artist; Chen Man, who works both jobs, has been “scolded” for the images he has taken and has become a hot search topic, which has aroused public opinion. Hot discussion.

What also caused controversy was the "Twelve Colors of China" series of works shot by Chen Man for a foreign independent fashion magazine "i-D" in 2012. The heated discussion caused by Chen Man continued on the Internet. Fermentation, more and more netizens are discussing Chen Man's previous works such as "Young Pioneers" again.

Most of the subjects photographed by Chen Man have thin eyebrows, squinted eyes, single eyelids, or pale skin with bright blush on their cheeks and red rouge on their cherry lips, and accuses them of "uglifying Asians" Image" does not reflect the appearance of today's Chinese women, and is called "inappropriate shooting techniques."

Whether everyone can like the work is actually a matter of opinion. Considering that the works shot by Chen Man are for viewers in China, whether the style and elements created and presented have taken into account the needs of consumers watching in specific scenes. reaction? If her fashionable visual elements cater to the mainstream in the West, then with regard to the "underworld style" that is spurned by netizens, has Chen Man considered that her works have violated cultural taboos when exhibited in China?

It is difficult to say whether a work that flaunts art is right or wrong. What should be considered in this incident is the thinking behind why a photo can cause "hot discussion" on today's social networks: what does it convey? What kind of aesthetic value? ”

In this regard, ifeng.com Fashion conducted interviews with many people engaged in the fields of fashion and art. Who is defining “beauty” and “fashion”?

Sociologists Simmel once said that fashion is the product of class divisions. Like other forms, especially honor, it has the dual function of bringing harmonious coexistence between established social sectors and separating them from each other.

Just like a picture frame internally gives the artwork a coherent and independent essence, and externally isolates the artwork from all direct relationships with the surrounding space; unless we analyze the dual influence of external and internal, otherwise, Such forms of identical power cannot be expressed.

In the previous context, fashion was similar to a vehicle for expressing power, and those who tried to "control" fashion became People who hold power.

This group of people "leads" fashion, trends, and aesthetics to a large extent. Understood in this way, fashion images and trends become the path to release their power from top to bottom. . This is why there is a group of "master-level" designers; in the show conference, the photographer is a part of it, and the brand is also a part of it.

Through alliance and cooperation, these people can Explain to the public what they consider "beauty" and "fashion". This influence is not only about the superficial "beauty", but also the influence on the social psychological level.

For example, many celebrities are proud to be on the cover of American "Vogue" magazine. This is a sign of submission to power. As we all know, "Vogue" magazine holds the most fashion power in the fashion industry. It should not be underestimated. Almost every supermodel or star would be proud to be "in Vogue".

Being a leader is actually a process of exploring the boundaries of beauty. However, there are some "boundaries". "Cannot make the audience feel "comfortable". In the early 1990s, British supermodel Kate Moss and others shot a series of jeans blockbusters for Calvin Klein Jeans. The models in the photo shoot were all "skinny fairies". Therefore, for a long time, "thin" Models who can fit into "size 32" clothing have become favored by the fashion industry. Only if they meet this attribute can they have the opportunity to step onto a larger stage and be seen by more people.

Although this kind of aesthetic was "protested" by many people at the beginning, it has to be said that there are still some aesthetics that are still "challenging" the public's acceptance, such as the model Winnie Harlow with vitiligo on her face, and the model Lara Stone with wide gaps in her teeth. With Lindsey Wixson, freckle model Adwoa Aboah, etc...

The so-called beauty is not necessarily pure "beauty". There is another faction and trend in the field of art and design called "ugliness culture" , this culture is contrary to all trends that pursue the simplest and most aesthetic effects.

Perhaps for some people, the "beauty of flaws" of these models cannot represent the "beauty" of mainstream aesthetics, but their faces represent another way the public thinks about "mainstream aesthetics"—— It may feel uncomfortable, but it does not touch the bottom line. The creator has his own psychological boundaries to convey.

Chen Man’s current works are out of touch with Chinese trends. The sense of fashion superiority derived from the Western discourse system is being challenged by the growing Chinese culture and national self-confidence. Chen Man's works are "incompatible" with real-life aesthetics

Valerie Steele once pointed out in the book "Fashion Theory" that "fashion" is a cultural construction of identity. And fashion is not related to the "fashion" and "trend" of a few beautiful clothes, but a mirror that reflects the process of social change.

In the West, the year around 1960 became an era of rapid fashion development, and this development was accompanied by the awakening of female power. Reflecting on fashion, women gradually fell in love with miniskirts that exposed their leg lines. Designers at that time also began to try new clothing styles, such as loose sleeveless tops, bell skirts and bell sleeves. Finally, miniskirts became popular at the time. trend. Today’s memories of the 1960s style still have a positive vitality and vitality.

Returning to the Chen Man incident, many people in the industry said that this was essentially a "local battle for cultural discourse rights."

Chen Man is known as a Chinese photographer with a high status in the international fashion industry and a "leader". Why do her works seem "out of place" in today's context? In this regard, ifeng.com Fashion interviewed a university professor who did not want to be named and is engaged in art teaching. Strengthening of "Oriental Stereotype" Elements

As typical elements of Oriental stereotypes such as "squinting eyes" that have received strong responses from netizens, ifeng.com Fashion asked many people engaged in the fields of fashion and art to confirm how to define it. "Squint your eyes."

Scholars who study the history of Chinese art told us why the element of "squinting" has caused such a big reaction in us. The essence is that it was used by European and American players in international sports events. The element of squinting eyes is a "provocation" to the Asian community, and in the last century, European cartoons also used this element to deliberately mock Asians. Based on this background, when the "squinting eyes" feature is overemphasized in artistic works, it will indeed cause "Discomfort".

In fact, red phoenix eyes were a symbol of beauty in ancient China. For example, the description of Wang Xifeng in "A Dream of Red Mansions" is: a pair of triangular eyes with red phoenix and two curved eyebrows with willow leaves; it is said that the "Picture of Ladies with Hairpins" painted by Zhou Fang in the Tang Dynasty depicts six aristocratic women and their maids in gorgeous clothes. At the turn of spring and summer, I went to enjoy flowers and gardens. The characteristic of the woman among them was also red and phoenix eyes.

On the other hand, we asked a teacher who studies the history of clothing for confirmation. After reading a lot of information, the teacher said that the actual races of Asians and Europeans are different. The characteristics of Asians are reflected in many traditional paintings. In China, especially after the Song Dynasty, the maids in paintings have slender red-phoenix eyes.

“There is no right or wrong between a photographer’s work and her personal expression, so there are too many flexible things in it. We have no way to quantify it or set so-called standards, regardless of aesthetics. The angle is still from the historical perspective,” the teacher said to us.

Today's public opinion-oriented "hype" believes that these elements are "vilifying Asians." But what is very helpless is that if public opinion supports the element of squinting eyes, there will still be some people who use this element as their 'personality', and may use "squinting eyes" to express all models in the next creation. Hyping yourself up through this matter is also a bad cycle.

A teacher from the design department told us, “In today’s society, it is easy to be hyped up. Both sides have their own reasons. The part they dispute is the one in the middle that is more abstract and unclear. Part. "Although the standard of beauty is not unique, it will change due to social development and progress.

As China’s international status and economic voice have improved, it has placed more and more emphasis on cultural self-confidence. Under this trend of cultural self-confidence, “we have begun to think about what our own traditions are. No matter what Whether it’s clothing or cultural customs,” the teacher continued to tell us.

In design teaching, there is indeed no unified standard for "beauty". The basic skill of a creator is to have his own expression methods and concepts, and to establish his own aesthetic. This aesthetic must not be about sensationalism, but rather It is to express one's own understanding of tradition more fully.

The understanding and application of tradition is based on a true understanding and research of tradition, rather than simply appropriating superficial forms. It must be based on in-depth professional research.

Secondly, when making design expressions, you must fully understand the context in which it occurs, what its possible meanings are, and how to avoid some elements that may easily cause controversy.

On the other hand, the teacher said to us, “With a deeper understanding of traditional culture, our starting point is to promote our own tradition. Whether the public understands it or not, they must have it in their hearts. We hope to find our own way of inheriting traditional traditions, which reflects that our era is moving forward.”

From a popular perspective, fashion led the trend in the past. , fashion is a Western discourse system, just as material abundance, a younger population, and fashion trends in the 1960s laid the foundation for modern style and the subsequent rapid development of music, architecture, and fashion. Now, as China's economy becomes stronger and China's national self-confidence increases, the global discourse system is changing. Simply catering to Western aesthetic standards will definitely run counter to the reality of China's rapid development, and it will definitely not win the pursuit of today's Chinese young people. Trendy mind.

A common trend in the field of clothing and architecture is called "replacing Tang Dynasty with Japanese". Therefore, cultural differences must be clearly distinguished, and what happened must also be integrated into design thinking.

In the fashion field dominated by Western discourse, if artists can truly explore the true selves of Chinese young people and turn them into art, then only then can they express their "true selves."

Not only should we pursue the only "beautiful" form, but we should also support and encourage the discovery and creation of these fashion forms that truly represent traditional national culture and its corresponding core. Exporting Chinese beauty to China and even overseas is the responsibility of contemporary artists and fashion opinion leaders.

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