THERE’S BEEN A FLURRY of photos from Dina Goldstein’s series “Fallen Princesses” around the internet in the last week. And I must say, it’s been quite interesting to watch the conversation unfold. The images from Goldstein’s project were originally posted on JPG Magazine with a short description of the series in the artist’s own words. “These works place Fairy Tale characters in modern day scenarios. …The ‘…happily ever after,’” Goldstein writes, “is replaced with a realistic outcome and addresses current issues.” We see Cinderella drinking alone in a dive bar; Snow White is now weighed down with a deadbeat prince and four tykes.
After circulating on photography and feminism sites alike (I originally saw the images on A Cup of Jo), some concerns began to surface among readers, regarding Goldstein’s depiction of Jasmine as a M-16 clutching babe, wearing purple camo with bombs exploding in the desert beyond her. Latoya at Racialicious asks, “Why did Jasmine’s story default to her racial background, and why was the idea of the modern day ‘Agrabah‘ assumed to be a conflict site?” Comments at Racialicious exploded with opinions. 
Meanwhile, the voices at Women’s Glib speculated on Goldstein’s portrayal of Little Red Riding Hood (as “Not So Little Red Riding Hood”) from the same series. A supersized Red Riding Hood sucking on soda while walking through the woods brought up this issue for the writes at Women’s Glib: “I see two glaringly problematic stereotypes embodied in this photograph: that fat people eat indiscriminantly and ‘unhealthily;’ and that being fat is the ultimate downfall.”
I have found the varied yet passionate responses to the “Fallen Princesses” series quite compelling, especially considering that the idea behind Goldstein’s project seems so perfect. But did the execution fall short? When I first viewed the full series, I loved the heartbreaking irony in the scenes (Yet a commenter on JPG asked if having chemo was really all that worse than being locked in a tower.)
I admit that I skipped a beat when confronting the unhappily ever after Jasmine, but I ultimately resigned my uncomfortable reaction to the fact that war is a hellish reality for many women (a reality I don’t share in). But the conversation on Racialicious opened up my inner dialogue on the issue again.
I’ll also admit, rather sheepishly, that the fallen Little Red Riding Hood didn’t initially push my buttons at all. I saw Red Riding Hood as representing the flawed society that we currently live in, where mainstream diets are made to poison consumers. Are these readings hopelessly tied to stereotypical images in our society? 
How do you, dear readers, feel about the “Fallen Princesses” photo series? What were your initial reactions? What are your thoughts on the criticism from Women’s Glib and Racialicious? I’d love know what you, our extended TSP family, thinks.
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Ok, sorry, this brother is all up in the Sister Project today. This collection from Diana Goldstein is simply marvelous. I love the representation of these characters falling onto our side of the looking glass. Maybe these images are jarring to some because we see the innocent and pure heroines in raw situations, but they’re in our world: the inverse of fantasy.
Little Red Riding Hood didn’t raise my eyebrows either. It seemed perfectly current and suitable that Red Riding Hood is sucking down that Big Gulp and Big Macs with the Wolf looming out of scene. The Brothers Grimm wrote Red Riding Hood as a naive character, and I think Goldstein has been true to that character. One has to be very unaware and naive to suck down anything you can pick up at a drive-thru, and like the threat of the Wolf, the danger is very real.
Snow White’s daily hell is my favorite though. So poignant, and also such a brilliant statement how relationships and roles within those relationships can morph once the gloss fades and the honeymoon’s over. I just want to scream at Prince ‘Charming’, “Get off your ass and help her, you louse!”
Oscar Wilde said, “Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.” For Goldstein’s work with the fallen princesses, she uses ART to imitate LIFE. Perhaps, since this form of imitation tends to happen less (than life imitating the art), it has rubbed some people the wrong way.
I found it to be a fresh point of view with a touch of reality thrust upon the ideal of “The Princess.”
Another brother gettin’ all up in the Sister Project – sorry in advance.
The Rapunzel image is beyond amazing and hit a hot-button with me as I am walking in the Breast Cancer 3-Day this year for the first time. It sends such a poignant and powerful message and the play on “let down your hair” was definitely not lost there.
I absolutely love the series. I think the shock factor is what makes it so memorable. The Snow White one is my favorite. I can understand the controvery, since you are portraying “fairy tales” lives in the worst possible outcome, but I think it is amazing.
I love them, even though they make me crazy and nervous in some odd way, but here’s the thing I think most of all: How can these be *photographs*? They have a hyper-realistic super-naturalism I cannot completely reckon with, and keep think they were *painted*. Amazing.
I once took a philosophy course on the nature of creativity where the prof advanced the theory that ‘the diff between art and craft is that art makes one *feel* and craft doesn’t. Love it or hate it – it’s art. And it doesn’t matter what feelings are brought up – art is not about value judgements.’ If it were, we’d end up in a society where only “approved” art could be shown… and that, frankly, terrifies me a whole lot more than anything in this photo series!
BTW, before anyone yells at me, I am not saying that the above is my position. I’m relaying the theory of a philosopher, a theory I’ve been testing for 20 years. So far I haven’t found reason to disagree with him, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to march in the parade. An opinion is merely that. It can’t be proven, and therefore there’s absolutely no point in fighting about it.
I do have a question for the folks at Racialicious though – isn’t it a matter of interpretation that “Jasmine’s life defaulted to her racial background”? What if the default is to her geographic location? In which case, where’s the argument? I would think that a white princess living in the same area would be just as likely to end up toting an M-16…
The problem with arguing about art is it’s all about interpretation – you say toMAYto, I say toMAHto. Again, opinion, not fact. Are you aware that no two of us see the color “red” exactly the same? We could choose to spend our lives arguing over whose interpretation is exactly correct, but in the interests of seeking what we want in life instead of trying to kill what we don’t like, we merely agree on a generalization and move on. Most of us never think about the issue, nor are even aware of it.
Yet when it comes to a work of art that may include “red” (and “blue” and “yellow”, and …) so many people are ready to assume that they KNOW something about it and then go to battle to defend their opinions.
What other area of opinion and interpretation and centuries-long I’m-right-and-you’re-wrong wars does that sound like?
Had to ask my Disney-brained kids what they thought of these. My son asked, “where is the Giselle one?”
They liked the Red Riding Hood one best.
Sorry it’s a taken me a moment to get back to all these wonderful comments. They’re thoughtful and interesting–thank you to all!
@Keith: I love your take on Snow White! It’s not necessarily that she married a loser at the start…he was a prince that’s evolved into a slobby ” louse.” And if that’s not true to life then I don’t know what is!
@Jess: great point, the photos do make my skin crawl (and apparently margaret’s skin, too) but I think that’s why I can’t stop looking at them. Oh, and welcome!
@Michael Nolan: Brothers are always welcome (and adored) here at The Sister Project. Thanks for adding your perspective on Rapunzel, I agree it’s one of the most poignant in the series. Come back and visit us again soon!
@Margaret: It’s truly amazing, isn’t it? I completely agree…
@Jen: Welcome, thanks for stopping by! You’ve brought up some great philosophical points here. This series clearly brings up many feelings (with varying levels of passion) for viewers. I think it’s great that commenters at JPG magazine, Racialicious and Women’s Glib all raised questions about the potential offensiveness of this photo series. Isn’t it great that blogs allow for this sort of forum?
If you have a question for Racialicious, I urge you to leave it there along with the dozens of other comments and questions on LaToya’s interpretation of Goldstein’s work.
@Carrie: Asking your kids was a great idea! It adds a whole layer of depth to the readings of these photos. It’s interesting that they liked Red Riding Hood the best–I guess her struggles are more relatable to children than a struggling marriage, war and cancer.
Well for starters, where are the dwarves when you need them, don’t we always end up in a bar after the ball is over and walking in a forest full of wolves could cause me to stress eat too. Very interesting series, luckily art is not always sanitized, safe or equal. This art got people talking, thinking, communicating, very fabulous.
Thanks for the conversation…I’m lovin reading the all of the comments
by the way it Dina Goldstein…
Cheers
this is soo stupid there is such a thing as happily ever after!!!!!!!!