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    'Glee' star latest fashion victim in offensive shoot. Black and blue is not the new black.

    Photo of Glee's Heather Morris by Tyler ShieldsPhoto of Glee's Heather Morris by Tyler ShieldsWhat is it about bruises that fashion photographers find so sexy? The latest attempt to court controversy comes from photographer Tyler Shields and his subject, Glee actress Heather Morris. In a series of art-directed shots on his website, Morris poses with a painted-on black eye and a clothing iron, in a whimsical 1950's dress.

    "Even Barbie gets bruises," writes Shields on his blog, where he's hawking 100 limited edition prints from the shoot.

    More shocking than the photos' light-hearted depiction of domestic violence, is the de ja vu factor. Haven't we seen this before, like, a lot? Only a few weeks ago, we were talking about a Salon ad with a photo of a bruised model. And before that, a handful of high fashion campaigns featuring women being beaten, bruised, and impaled. Domestic violence, it seems, has become the surefire way to get your fashion spread to stand out.

    "In no way were we promoting domestic violence," Shields tells E! News. "We wanted to do a bruised-up Barbie shoot and that's exactly what we did!"

    In other words, no! but also yes. Isn't turning a young actress into a doll enough of a talker without also beating her up? At this point, it's not even worth a debate to add more fuel to the fire. What needs to happen is an internal snub from the fashion industry to assert that that kind of attention-baiting is unacceptable. It's become an industry-standard publicity measure, and one that wouldn't fly in any other field. Fashion thrives on controversy, but abuse against women isn't even controversial, it's just off limits.

    Moral compass rule: You just shouldn't use deeply painful subjects like violence, abuse, or slavery (ahem, Vogue Italia) to sell your surface, expensive product. If that doesn't work, make-up artists, designers, photographers, and ad execs should consider this: bruises, burns, and scrapes don't make people want to buy things.

    Here's a look at Tyler' Shields' bruised "Barbie" photos of Morris:

    Closeup of Heather Morris with a painted-on black eyeCloseup of Heather Morris with a painted-on black eye

    Morris takes a drink from the curious prop.Morris takes a drink from the curious prop.
    Morris on the ironing board, with the painted-on black eyeMorris poses on an ironing board, with the painted-on black eye


    Related on Shine:

    10 ways to get fashion blogs to talk about you
    Vogue Italia apologizes for slavery article
    Most offensive ad ever
    Offensive car ad: women drivers in the '60s





     
     
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    4,308 comments

    • Lexi  •  Fort Worth, Texas  •  29 days ago
      I wouldn't expect masses of consumers on the internet to be able to properly understand art photography. Clearly this is a woman who is rebelling against domestic stereotypes. I love it, and Heather Morris looks fantastic. It's not about trying to make abuse sexy, it's about fighting against roles women are forced into by society.
    • Brent  •  8 months ago
      Spousal abuse? Talk about sexism. If these photos were of a guy with bruises, the likely response would be an inherent supposition that the guy is a scrapper who EARNED those bruises fighting whatever fight the photo suggested. Photograph a woman with a bruise, and suddenly she's a victim, despite the fact that the photographs in question pretty clearly depict a woman who earned her bruises fighting against domesticity.

      But hey, what do I know? I'm only a cog in the system of patriarchal oppression that has been keeping women down for thousands of years via the objectification of women through the so-called "male gaze".
      • Sarah 1 month 2 days ago
        If she's got a bruise and is wearing a boxing outfit or even standard clothes then yes, she has gotten in a fight.
        If she's being pictured with an ironing cord wrapped around her neck in a pretty little housewife costume with a male fist being the only other human part depicted with her then the photo depicts male abuse on a female.
        It's seriously not sexist to say a photo of a woman dressed as a perfect little housewife being punched in the face is an image of abuse.
    • ordie  •  8 months ago
      Offensive-My ex battered me so badly-My sis didn't recognize me- This ain't funny!!
    • Jennifer W  •  8 months ago
      It all becomes clear now. Chris Brown did not abuse Rhianna, he was just helping her get ready for a photo shoot the next day! Because bruises and abuse is hot!
    • raistlin2000  •  8 months ago
      Maybe she walked into a door.
    • * starbrite *  •  8 months ago
      Um...WTF?
    • ErikaW  •  8 months ago
      She looks like she's having a bit of fun here, like this is sexy or something. I never thought being abused was attracive or fun. Not a fan.
    • Tom S  •  8 months ago
      It's how the fashion industry rolls these days. You don't need taste or common sense. Tyler Shields' work wouldn't get half the attention had he chosen a different theme other than domestic abuse.
    • Denise  •  8 months ago
      Just another way of getting media attention. How low do they have to stoop?
    • beverlyb  •  8 months ago
      Not a good look or message for our young girls....
    • EFREEDOM FIGHTER  •  8 months ago
      It seems to be about male dominance and bondage fantasies! It seems to be prevalent and increasing in world of pornography which is progressive...after a while not satisfied with the norm...then they progress to S&M...or with youth or children! (not all men but some) I think people should boycott any and all fashion/design houses who resort to this type of advertising/"art" to send them a message LOUD & CLEAR that we won't put up with that and that it is UNACCEPTABLE! AND...WHAT WAS SHE THINKING to be party to that!?! Is she MENTAL? ON DRUGS? .. DISTURBED? WHERE WAS/IS HER PUBLICIST AND WHAT DID HE/SAY BOUT IT? ... CRAAAZZZYYY!!! Is that what kind of life she wants for her and maybe any future daughters?? Well, who knows? WHATEVER!!
      • Merique 29 days ago
        Look, dollface, I don't know who the heck you think you are.... But S&M, and the entire BDSM community as a whole, is about CONSENT, and Risk Aware Consensual Kink. So don't group it in with abuse.
    • Flower Child  •  8 months ago
      Is this the female part of Charlie Sheen? Does this young actress not
      know of the damage she is doing to her own sex? I think the Network of
      Glee needs to have a long talk with this actress and also the Advertisers of Glee should put a little pressure on the Network to make
      her realize her mistake. She plays a teenager that needs parental con-
      trol.
    • Marissa  •  8 months ago
      ps maybe if she ever gets a bruise from someone on her face for real then she just might regret this shoot. just sayin
    • Marissa  •  8 months ago
      i find this repulsive, and horrible taste. Perhaps it is because I had a bruise on my eye recently which should have NEVER gotten there. Either way it is gross and just plain sad.
    • els53  •  8 months ago
      Not sexy or cute one sick b------ .

      as always

      just ed
    • Allan  •  8 months ago
      why do you all assume this is glorifying violence rather than foregrounding it for what it is?
    • - -  •  8 months ago
      Big F***n' Deal. That's all I can say about this "supposed" scandalous controversy.
    • Chuk  •  8 months ago
      This is the most obvious lack of creativity and talent I've seen for a while. How is there any marketing here? What exactly are we buying from this picture? Who directed the posing? Make-up and lighting.. This is thrash.
    • riggs  •  8 months ago
      no talent,that explains it.
    • pearl  •  8 months ago
      Do we really want to send this message out to people reading magazines? Abuse is abuse, advertising it and possibly giving anyone the idea that it's acceptable is NOT acceptable. This young woman can't be that desperate for fame or work, hopefully she will make a better choice for her next project. Whoever came up with this idea, merely did if for the notoriety it would bring and obviously wasn't considerate of who it might offend.

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