Earlier this week, New York Magazine published a cover story called “Is Terry Richardson an Artist or a Predator?” which is a maddening question to ask for many reasons, including that we already know the answer (definitely undoubtedly a predator, possibly also an artist depending on your definition of “art.”). The article itself is equally maddening. The gist of the situation is this: Terry Richardson is a noted photographer whose work you’d probably recognize who also exploits and sexually violates his models and he is surrounded by people who seem to be okay with it for some reason. So NYMag ran this article about Richardson that purports even-handedness but is full of intentional omissions and is ultimately a defense of him and his art, even though, and I cannot stress this enough, he admits to performing sexual acts on/with women in situations where consent was either not given and/or not an option. Since the article’s publication, two of Richardson’s models have written pieces about what a fucking unforgivable piece of human garbage he is, including model Sena Cech, who was 19 when she shot with Richardson:
I remember going home after the casting and crying hysterically, unable to tell my boyfriend why I was upset and unwilling to share with him that I had been coerced into this bizarre sex act at work. I believe that Richardson is using his connections and financial power in the industry to sexually harass and abuse vulnerable young women.
So FUCKÂ Terry Richardson and his shitty, gross, misogynic photography forever, is what I’m saying. It’s disgusting that this guy still has a job.
Anyhow, in response to all of this vile bullshit, our actually talented photographer/A-Camp director Robin Roemer and Autostraddle contributor/A-Camp special programming director Carly Usdin have birthed this parody video into the world to offer an alternative photographer to the fashion industry.
Bearing all that in mind, I give you: “Neither Artist Nor Predator: The Mary Dickerson Story.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaDDIRGT1iM
