Art or Exploitation?

   After watching the Tierney Gearon Film and witnessing the scrutiny she receives as an artist, I instantly made the connection to Sally Mann. Tierney Gearon, in her series "The Mother Project", is often ridiculed and told that she isn't honoring her mother through these photographs, but rather, she is exploiting her. By capturing the raw, reality of her surroundings (an unkept house, a chain smoking mother battling Schizophrenia, wailing children), she is able to embody what it means to be a real mother. Mothers make mistakes, slip up, swear when they shouldn't; they have problems of their own. Children are naked, aren't fazed by nakedness, and are still naive and pure in that sense. I think her photography captures this well. It isn't exploitation, its just too close for comfort.
   Sally Mann endures similar obstacles through some of her art work as well. Like Gearon, she also photographed her children nude. Both artists were accused of creating child pornography and exploiting their children. I watched the documentary on Sally Mann and I believe her work meant something to her and her children loved being a part of it. Once again, I don't believe this photographs were exploiting her children or her family but capturing a sense of reality and shock value, which the audience responds to.
   Another artist accused of exploitation is a Canadian photographer named Jonathan Hobin. He made a series of photographs called "In The Playroom" that received a lot of feedback. This series depicts children reenacting major current events and tragedies, including 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. It is a very bizarre juxtaposition between the children at play and what they are representing. I find this artist to be brilliant. Exploitation? I feel as though he may be looking for exploitation through these photos. Whatever their purpose, whatever their meaning, all of these photographers sparked strong reactions and emotions through their audience, and what more could you ask for as an artist?

Tierney Gearon

Sally Mann

Jonathan Hobin