Cindy Sherman, Untitled 255, via cindysherman.com
- Paul Hasegawa-Overacker felt his identity was subsumed when dating artist Cindy Sherman, and made a documentary that tackles this subject and more titled Guest of Cindy Sherman. It’s a fascinating story line, though not with out note, that it’s mostly the gender reversal that makes it interesting. Typically women dating famous men don’t break up with them — they’re happy for their success. Of course, this issue is more complicated than I’ve made it out to be since it’s also much more socially acceptable for a woman to take the less dominant role. An interview with Paul H-O at Salon.
- Of all the controversy Grand Theft Auto IV seems to inspire, I’m surprised I haven’t read more from Serbians upset about the portrayal of the main character, as a Serbian immigrant, assassin, prostitute fucker and murderer, and just all around asshole. The debate that has thus far inspired the largest Wikipedia entry began in September 2007, when Jack Thompson filed a suit against Grand Theft Auto IV, claiming that the assassination target of a mission in the game was a lawyer character based on himself. It’s possible he had a point — the man had previously campaigned against other Grand Theft Auto games, and had stated he would take various measures to prevent the sale of the game by Rockstar to minors — though the court didn’t think so, and the man has been barred from suing to block the sale or distribution of any future games published by Take-Two or any of its subsidiaries.
Meanwhile, the women hating aspects of this game remain largely in tact. This from Feministing (originally via boing boing),
If you get through the trailer you will notice that not only are the sex scenes very real looking, most of the women are killed shortly after forcibly performing sex acts. So, many young men are going to have their first (or already have, as this is not new content for GTA) sexual experiences via GTA and then they are going to kill the women they are sleeping with. The implications of that are mind-blowing. It is no question that GTA is merely reflective of the bigger misogyny embedded in capitalist patriarchy, but the question is why is a game that depicts such violence towards women so popular? How is that acceptable?
- I haven’t played the game, so I can’t speak to how it compares to the last, but from a youtube video originally circulated by Ladies of Liberty City (no longer available) there’s no disputing that the game isn’t full of warm fussy feelings towards women. Admittedly, I’m slightly relieved to be more or less disinterested in the aesthetics of the game due to the problematics of the game itself.
- In other unrelated non art stories, I’m vaguely disturbed by the amount of woman hating permeating celebrity blogs lately. In as much I read about how good Madonna looks for her age, there’s almost always someone who’s creeped out by the fact that she’s almost 50, so any amount of sexuality she exhibits is therefore inappropriate. As annoying a personality as she may be, I’m happy that she continues to control the way in which her body is used to promote music sales. Just because you’re 50 doesn’t mean you’re dead.
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The proposition that most women in GTA are killed after forcibly performing sex acts is misleading. GTA allows the gamer/player to kill absolutely anyone. Now, one may object to the violence inherent in the game, but give GTA its due, it is equal opportunity violent.
The proposition that most women in GTA are killed after forcibly performing sex acts is misleading. GTA allows the gamer/player to kill absolutely anyone. Now, one may object to the violence inherent in the game, but give GTA its due, it is equal opportunity violent.
Well, that is an improvement from the last one – though certainly the sex and what not is much more graphic than previous incarnations. Do you also take issue with the assertion that they are forcibly performing sex acts?
Well, that is an improvement from the last one – though certainly the sex and what not is much more graphic than previous incarnations. Do you also take issue with the assertion that they are forcibly performing sex acts?
Paddy, I was just installing “Mystery is looking”, a video piece by Alicja Zebrowska … I think her work is pretty amazing in the context of 2-3rd generation feminism. It was done in the late 90ies, but it seems pretty radical today…
http://www.onone.art.pl/gallery/index.htm
Paddy, I was just installing “Mystery is looking”, a video piece by Alicja Zebrowska … I think her work is pretty amazing in the context of 2-3rd generation feminism. It was done in the late 90ies, but it seems pretty radical today…
http://www.onone.art.pl/gallery/index.htm
To confuse sex in GTA with a real sexual experience is pretty outrageous. I like the line “if you get through the trailer†– try actually playing the game maybe? I’ve seen 3 types of sexual encounter in the game so far.
– you can get a lap dance in a strip club.
– you can have sex in your car with a prostitute
– you can have sex with the woman you are dating.
I don’t know what constitutes graphic, but there’s no encounter here that shows anything you wouldn’t see on a prime time tv show.
The lap dance is absurd and over the top. Yes, you could commit violence after the dance but there are lots of security in there and you’d never make it out alive. The sex with a prostitute is accompanied by your character talking about how degraded and cheap he feels for doing it. It’s not sexy or romantic, it’s uncomfortable and awkward. It does not glamorize prostitution in any way. Yes, you could be violent towards her after the act, but there is no indication that this is what you should do, and in truth it would be out of character for Niko to do it.
The sex with your girlfriend is done off camera and you have no opportunity to be violent with her. SPOILER – It is you, in fact, who ends up getting heartbroken in the long run.
Niko is closer to Tony Soprano than any other character. He’s a despicable man who does despicable things. He’s also, funny and has his own messed up ethics and values that you come to appreciate. Rockstar isn’t say that Niko isn’t a jerk, they’re saying he’s an interesting complicated jerk. And like Tony Soprano Niko is not you, even though for an hour you may empathize with him.
To confuse sex in GTA with a real sexual experience is pretty outrageous. I like the line “if you get through the trailer†– try actually playing the game maybe? I’ve seen 3 types of sexual encounter in the game so far.
– you can get a lap dance in a strip club.
– you can have sex in your car with a prostitute
– you can have sex with the woman you are dating.
I don’t know what constitutes graphic, but there’s no encounter here that shows anything you wouldn’t see on a prime time tv show.
The lap dance is absurd and over the top. Yes, you could commit violence after the dance but there are lots of security in there and you’d never make it out alive. The sex with a prostitute is accompanied by your character talking about how degraded and cheap he feels for doing it. It’s not sexy or romantic, it’s uncomfortable and awkward. It does not glamorize prostitution in any way. Yes, you could be violent towards her after the act, but there is no indication that this is what you should do, and in truth it would be out of character for Niko to do it.
The sex with your girlfriend is done off camera and you have no opportunity to be violent with her. SPOILER – It is you, in fact, who ends up getting heartbroken in the long run.
Niko is closer to Tony Soprano than any other character. He’s a despicable man who does despicable things. He’s also, funny and has his own messed up ethics and values that you come to appreciate. Rockstar isn’t say that Niko isn’t a jerk, they’re saying he’s an interesting complicated jerk. And like Tony Soprano Niko is not you, even though for an hour you may empathize with him.
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