More disgusting images have emerged from the scandal surrounding the Balenciaga ad campaign. Look:
Click on the images in the tweet to see Michael Borremans’ book. It documents an exhibition he called “Fire From The Sun”. A review of the Hong Kong exhibit:
It is hard to express the perceived meaning of the works or to admit it.
Fire From The Sun depicts children as young as two and three years old playing with fire, human limbs, and even hair. All the children are Sistine-style Sistine-style Sistine-style cherubs with light skin, often covered in blood. Although they don’t appear distressed or upset, some gallery visitors may think so. Their visual connections to one another and, more generally, to other Borremans paintings, enhance the drama of these paintings. Each painting has a similar background. This is a set, or stage, without context or withholding of information, but it suggests that someone is watching.
Some paintings depict children disappearing, phantoms not yet removed from their horrific acts. These ghostly figments are a reminder of the artist’s control over what we see, and what we don’t. Poetically, the apparent existence of “disappearance”, suggests that there is no way to escape a bloody episode. Borremans chose not to portray children who have clear memories. They might not be able to recall their trauma-informed origin story in a fictional future. These are portraits of what it is like to attempt to erase the past.
… The fire and (probable?) cannibalism suggest some kind of ritual. However, the works are more chilling than sketches of random violence, causal or instinctual. The characters are shown separating from one typecast (angelic), while fitting into another (demonic).
The following is a list of exhibitors:
Borremans’s latest paintings show toddlers engaging in mysterious and playful acts, with insinuations about violence and sinister undertones. Borremans’s latest work presents the children in a variety of ways, including individually or in groups. The studio backdrop negates space and time while highlighting the theatrical atmosphere and artifice.
Bracewell writes that the majority of Fire From the Sun paintings depict scenes in which the primal is not controlled, without bearings in a state anarchy. “Historical Romanticism is subjugated to mysterious controlling forces, which are neither crudely malign nor necessarily benign.”
A society or state in which the primal has no control and is without bearings in a state called anarchy. It shows naked toddlers covered in blood and eating raw meat. Cannibalism and toddlers. Lord of the Flies.
What is the deal with Balenciaga’s campaign? Photos of young girls involved in sadomasochistic sexual sex were featured. This is what we have now? What message is this? Learn more from the Borremans’ book:
This one is from the book.
That is so dark. The journalist who visited him in his studio said:
The frightful, terrifying characters in “Black Mould” encapsulate today’s deep-seated fears about religious extremism. I am struck by how often Borremans refers to faith. When I ask him, he replies that he was raised Roman Catholic but lost his belief. I like the idea of people gathering in a building to reflect on life and death…But any religion that is institutionalized is bad. It should be like Buddhism, only in thoughts. It’s all about power and you lose the point.
It’s a little strange that this book by this artist would be featured in an ad campaign. It is important to know that nothing is left to chance in these highly-styled campaigns. It is possible that the stylist, a different person than the photographer, randomly selected contemporary art books. It’s possible to read too many titles on the desk, even if this is not the case. The overwhelming spiritual darkness of Borremans’ paintings is in keeping with the Balenciaga campaign ( , for which it has since apologized).
Take a look at this one from the kids campaign.
Baal, an ancient Canaanite god who was responsible for children being sacrificed, was usually the first-born child sacrificer’s child, and would then be incinerated. His title was “Baalzebub,” which is Lord of the Flies.
This drawing is on the right side, on the wall.
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Balenciaga was very aware of what it was doing. It’s impossible that one of the world’s most sophisticated high-fashion brands could be fooled.
Tucker Carlson stated last night that Jeffrey Epstein is still celebrated by the wealthy and famous despite being convicted of having sex with minors. This is likely to be related to what Balenciaga did here. This stuff is common among the super-rich.
