Miss Landmine

Sebzy

What happens when conventions in photography collide? Take a beauty contest and a war zone report and conceptualize them as one ...
This slide show contains of six pictures:

http://politiken.dk/fotografier/article341983.ece?service=gallery

All were shot in Angola where 80,000 people suffered from landmine explosions over the last 23 years of war.

In Angola, physically disabled people are often seen as 'freaks' and 'messengers of misfortune' unwanted by others. Because of this, landmine victims often live a life of as social outcasts in extreme poverty.

The 'Miss Landmine' contest was conceived and set up by Norwegian artist Morten Traavik and the 1st prize is a high-class leg extension. The winner will be found in November, and all contestants receive $200 plus they get to keep the clothes from the shooing session.

The artist's work have been publicly critiized for being some sort of 'social pornography' or 'amputee fetisch', but the artist refuses this. Another 'Miss Landmine' competition is set to take place in Cambodia next year and ultimately a 'Miss Landmine World' event.

The pictures are currently exhibited in Bergen, Norway, and there will be another exhibition in Oslo later this year.

Placebo

i love it, although i get a sense of odd sexual innuendo in their facial expressions, thus the 'amputee fetish' saying that its a strong subject and i love it. Hes gone for the proper model shoot outs it just seems like that not only is he raising awareness for the victims but seems like a bit of a shot at the beauty is only at size zero behind the water fountain.
great stuff

ThOnda

I think that it was very important, especially for the women. I would support any project like this.
They are not making jokes from the pople, they are trying to support them and to boost their self-confidence. It is very important work for all groups which are called "different" by major public.

leinsterman

Wow ... very interesting idea ... I think it is a good way of drawing attention to something which must of us here in the west are not really aware ... and at the same time it is also helping give a bit of confidence to the participants

... though I suspect USD$200 is hard for anyone in that region to turn down so you could argue it is exploitation ... but I doubt many of the particpants would agree.

It is fodder for lots of debating though, not least the one about beauty contests being exploitative of women ... in a strange way this one seem less so ?!