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EDITORIAL

The Original Hipster by Julia Chesky

By / 22 Jul 2010 @ 6:23 am

“Our lovely model, Chris, has lived on Mercer Street for a few decades by choice. I’m calling this series The Original Hipster because on most days he doesn’t even look like he’s truly homeless. “


Art Director : Ali Lee
Jewelry:  Michael Calloway, Tracey Howarth
Model: Chris


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WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?

  • http://modelizing.blogspot.com julia

    Thanks Cyril!

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  • aa in NYC

    This set of photos — and the title in particular — is unfortunate in so many ways. I am in favor of art that showcases an individual’s humanity, no matter who he/she is. But this linkage of an individual’s tragic life situation with the stylistic choices of the artistic and the privileged (“hipsters”) is appalling. I don’t know Chris, but I do know that many homeless individuals (especially single adults) “refuse” help not out of free choice, but as a result of mental health or addiction problems. This collection is little more than a double caricature — on the one hand, our failure to help people like him access the support they need, and on the other, the egregious consumption that has added so many new people (many of them families) to the ranks of the homeless.

  • http://www.girl-cant-talk.com Kathyh

    Quite disgusting to take advantage of somebody living in such horrible circumstances for the benefit of a pretentious photo shoot. I’ll hazard a guess that the poor guy didn’t get to keep all the designer goodies after the shoot was done?

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  • Bessie the Buddha cow

    I’m with aa in NYC. The exportation of the homeless is just awful, horrid, rancid on so many levels!

  • http://www.twitter.com/apseloide apselO!

    Pretty Nice!
    : ]

  • http://N/A Josh

    I saw this Derelicte collection on Zoolander in 2001. Unoriginal.

  • TEA

    well it seems the PC police continually fails to interpret art adequately! This man does not have a “tragic life situation.” As Cyril mentioned, on most days, he does not appear homeless/derelict. This photoshoot was a wonderful look into the ideas of volition, subscribing to society, following trends, etc. The fact that you victimize the subject makes you seem ignorant, while the artist clearly has more insight and respect into Chris’s lifestyle and personality, which is vividly apparent through the photos.

    Well done, Chesky. Love it.

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  • moryah

    “by choice”….this means he chose this way of life. whether or not it is socially acceptable, and dispite our ingrained feelings of shame and pity for this man….his lifestyle is subjective. perhaps he looks at those of us who are not homeless as pitiful and disadvantaged… plus this piece is clearly a great source of dialogue. thumbs up :)

  • Steve

    I know Chris for 30 years having lived in the neighborhood that long. When I saw the photos, which I think are wonderful, I asked him about it. He loves the publicity. This isn’t the first time as Chris was also on the cover of a NY Magazine some years back as part of a group of street people who make a decent income. Those who think this was exploitive are just wrong. As I left Chris a few minutes ago he told me he’d wait until the Apple Store opened and get other there to have a look. But he said he was disappointed the photo with the dog wasn’t included.

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  • http://www.nataliaborecka.com Natalia

    This editorial is so painfully ironic. But something tells me that it’s unintentionally so. Perhaps the people behind the shoot were trying to make some kind of statement, but ultimately that statement works against them. I think this is a better series of photographs than the originators even realize. The subject is so emotionally evocative that the essentially worthless quality of the intended subject (the clothes and accessories) is made painfully obvious. I’m absolutely enthralled by the effect. It speaks to the dark side of consumerism and thereby it is a genius work of photography…but a complete failure as a fashion editorial.

  • handbagsdigger

    The photos are nice BUT that’s beyond what I’m thinking. The like the fact he agreed to do this shoot. For he has thee ultimate freedom or travel, no bills and nothing to tie him down. I feel this is truly how GOD intended for us to be.

    So, look pass the art and this site. He’s living a dream in a sense… most us don’t understand that release. Props to him doing this once again.

  • http://desmitten.wordpress.com Christina

    I think these photos are amazing, Chris’s face tells a story in itself. Beautiful work.

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  • Frenchy Universalstranger

    It’s funny how some people just have to become the Thoughts Police. Like your voice was to do anything. Or your sight on the photoshoot be the true one. 
    Take a look at this guy, and these pics. They’re just awesome.
    The fact he is homeless and the title just add a sociologic/fashion side to the thing, but the pictures themselves already carries so much emotion… I don’t know what you need.

    Now, you are mistaken when you say he is exploited. With no proof of it. Many homeless chose their lifestyle, in rejection of society and everything that comes with it. And that would, to my mind, explain the title of the series : although he makes (as suggested by the designer goodies) fairly good money, he choses to live in the street (way too mainstream to live in a house, ain’t it ?) in rejection of society. And THAT is what would be the genuine hipster.If that makes any sense…

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I really like this little series called The Original Hipster by Julia Chesky. Chesky is a Parson school graduate who is currently working as retoucher and is store windows obsessed. She shot this story with Art Director Ali Lee and Chris, an interesting (homeless) model,.. the editorial is based on The Pushcart War book. Personally I have always found specific details about the homeless to be a great source of inspiration and totally agreed with Julia’s title “The Original Hipster”.

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