The Worlds Most Dangerous Place for Women

'The Worlds Most Dangerous Place for Women,' Broadcasted on BBC3 Tuesday 30th March 2010

A while ago I was looking at some photographs by Italian photographer Daniele Tamagni of present day Sapeurs in the Congo. These men where so well dressed and presented and gave a great insight into a particular society and culture that is upheld within the Republic of Congo.
I saw the BBC where doing a set of documentary films dubbed 'Women, Weddings War and Me.' Whereby people visited their country of birth after a lifetime away in England. To discover customs, tradtitions and a culture that they were now alien too.
One of the documetaries was to be set in The Congo. Where Judith Wanga a 23year old woman who was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo but grew up in London returns to her place of birth, visiting the parents who sent her away to England as a baby for reasons that she is yet to truely understand.
The documentary is not for the faint hearted. It tells of the way women are treated within a war torn country. Whereby rape and sexual abuse is a weapon commonly used on women and children of all ages; to brutal affect.
The Congo is a country enriched with natural resources and as soldiers and rebel groups fight over diamond and mineral mines, there is no limit to the torture being induced upon Congo's women.
This pays great comparision to the world you see in the images of Tamagni's Sapeurs 'Gentlemen of Bocongo. ' Revealing the faces and lives behing the women of Congo.

Modern day Sapeurs, Dandymen.

Daniele Tamagni, 'Gentlemen of Bacongo.'

1. Within this poverty, he says, there is a strong desire to assert and prove that Africans can be stylish. "This is not what we usually see in the media. Plus, they are true gentlemen: they are gentle and polite.” The Sapeurs, in his view, have transformed clothing into an art form.

Daniele Tamagni, an Italian photographer first published his book 'Gentlemen of Bancongo,' in late 2009. The London and Naples based photographer travelled to the African republic of Congo to photograph the Sapeurs. The Sapeurs are men and even on occasion women that choose to follow by the culture of La SAPE, 'La Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes.' AKA,
'The Society of Ambianceurs and Elegant People.' Whereby they dress in a very stylish, rich and elegant manner even in surroundings of extreme poverty. This dress code first came about when the French where in power over Congo, and the European flair and style started to influence some of the natives sense of fashion.
In a way the men 'sapeurs,' like the ones pictured above would have been initially been trying to state the point that they are equal and just as dignified; through the clothes they wear and therefore the status they possess, as their predescessing European rulers. It's a form or regaining power and respect at a time when you have least control.
What is interesting about these photographs is the way the men act as a human oxymoron to their surrounding environment. Around them you can see poverty in everything, through the basic clothes people are wearing, to the dirt tarnished streets. Yet the Sapuers or shall I say 'Dandies,' still find it appropriate to constantly dress in such a manner. Even it means going without food or sleeping on the streets. This seems to be not just a dress code, but a moral one. As one sapuer says in Tamagni's book

2. “We respect other people, we don’t like war, we like peace, and we have a moral code that is very Christian.”

Well, whatever they are trying to do they sure do leave a touch of curiosity lingering in the air. So much so that they are invited to appear at weddings, birthdays and funerals. As they have become somewhat the local celebrities.

But this style isn't just present in Africa and Europe, its already headed into the mainstream with many 'real celebrities,' adorning the dandy dress code.

Take for instance P diddy's ex personal assistant Fonzworth bentley, who now runs his own MTV show called, ' From G's to Gent's.' Where he teaches so called 'thugs' and 'gangstas' how to dress and act like true gentlemen. With their style of dress being heavily influenced by Sapeurs and 19th century British Dandy men.


- 1. http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/thank-god-i%E2%80%99m-elegant
-2.http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/fop-art-gentleman-of-the-bacongo/#more-41467

Finally and advert that isn't full of bullshit.

Thankyou Tesco! Finally an advert that actually advertises the product and not some idealistic world we can buy into.



I was so happily suprised when I first saw this Tesco advert. At the begining I was thinking hmm, another one of those over extravagent ridiculously deep and meaningfull adverts that is going to sell me something like a phone or a loaf of bread. So I thought to myself let me wait and see what it will be (becuase as usual the advert barely relates to the product, so only time will tell). But no, Tesco surpassed expectations when they gave their advert a twist and let simple and basic fact speak for itself.

Now lets look at the clover advert



Ok I'm not trying to take the piss but since when was butter this impotant in any of our lives that it could reduce a person to tears?! Come on talk about manipulative advertising bullshit! So lets see, the adverts all about family, about being with your loved ones, about warm tender memories... hmm wait for it, wait for it o yeah and BUTTER!!

Let me just get this straight maybe my family will be as happy as the mother and son in the advert, and I will be as touched as the woman eating the sandwich on the train. All I have to do is buy this butter and my life will change.

Please is there no logic in this world!

Rimmel colour show off lipstick ..

It must be one of those shock tactics, I tell you! You know like marmite ' you either love it or hate it.' Becuase Georgia May Jagger is the new face of Rimmel at the moment.

Uhh hmm.. (hate!)




The first time I turned the page of a magazine and saw her mug staring back at me I thought this must be some kind of joke. How could Rimmel be using such a distinctively striking model, and I mean distinctive for all the wrong reasons.
It wasn't until after, I found out who she is. The daughter of the renowned lead vocalist of The Rolling stones, Mick Jagger himself. Georgia is some what of an it girl, a rich socialite that young girls aspire to be. Sort of the British version of Paris Hilton. So now it came as no suprise to me, as to why Rimmel would want to use her face, along with her trade mark 'gap tooth,' to sell their brand to the masses.

I mean if she's wearing Rimmel colour show off lipstick, then shouldn't every other aspiring young city girl be wearing it too..? Won't wearing their brand make you more popular, glamourous and successfull just like Jagger herself? Not to forget, indvidual...

...hmm yeah.

Well, thats what Rimmel would like us to believe and buy into. From looking at the world around us seems like its works.

http://www.rimmellondon.com/default.aspx

Crime of passion?

People say an act of infidelity by a partner is enough to make anyone commit murder. For one of my briefs I was given the task of shooting a set of images in the style of a specific film genre; my chosen one being Film Noir.

It can bring out a side in you, you never knew exsited.
When the reflection looking back at you is one you no longer recognise.

Love. Hate. Pain