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Podcast: A Retoucher Altered the Expression of Genocide Victims To Make Them Smile
In the mid- to late-70s, the Khmer Rouge committed a heinous genocide in Cambodia that killed 25% of its population. The government infamously phot...
In the mid- to late-70s, the Khmer Rouge committed a heinous genocide in Cambodia that killed 25% of its population. The government infamously photographed many of these victims at Tuol Sleng, a school which was converted into a torture facility. Inexplicably, retoucher Matt Loughrey decided to colorize and alter the expression of some of the depicted victims of the Cambodian genocide into smiles, and as you might imagine, people were outraged.
In this episode of Vision Slightly Blurred, Sarah and Allen discuss the controversy. Plus, the NYT publishes images from 28 different Asian and Asian-American photographers to show what love looks like in a time of hate, American Photography takes a stand on Chinese censorship, and Annie Leibovitz captures photos of poet laureate Amanda Gorman for Vogue.
We mention the following photographers, articles, and websites in this episode:
- Asian and Asian-American Photographers Show What Love Looks Like (via NYT)
- Sources of Self-Regard: Self Portraits From Black Photographers Reflecting on America (via NYT)
- Jingyu Lin (@jingyulin_)
- Ricardo Nagaoka (@hisnameisricardo)
- Heather Sten (@heathersten)
- Tess Ayano (@tessayano)
- Hiroko Masuike @hirokomasuike
- Alex Lau @yungbludlau
- Amanda Gorman Is on the Cover of Vogue (via The Cut)
- See the clever way an iconic photo publication protested Chinese censorship (via Fast Company)
- Public anger grows over Khmer Rouge victim photos altered to have “happy facial expressions.” (via Khmer Times)
- Editorial Statement Regarding Photographs of Khmer Rouge Victims (via VICE)
- Response from Loughrey (via Twitter)
- Response from a family member of a genocide victim (via Twitter)
- Portraits from a Genocide
- The Conscience of Nhem En
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