UCR ARTS: California Museum of Photography
Curated by Douglas McCulloh
Lies are ever-present in human affairs, a tidal flow that rises and falls. Recently, lies have been at flood stage and photographs are central to the surge.
Statements, strings of words, are readily seen as assertions, claims. Photographs, on the other hand, are presumed to be a form of evidence. In Susan Sontag’s phrase, we assume photographs are “directly stenciled off the real.” Consequently, photographs, even dubious ones, carry credence in a way that words do not. Moreover, writes theorist Lev Manovich, “the reason we think that computer graphics technology has succeeded in faking reality is that we, over the course of the last hundred and fifty years, have come to accept the image of photography and film as reality.” For these main reasons and scores of lesser ones, photographs are ideal vehicles for lies. (Read More)
The Claim
In the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police, discount retailer Target issued an official uniform that supports the Black Lives Matter social justice movement. A round-neck tee in Target red—Pantone 2035—emblazoned in bold white: “I CAN’T BREATHE • BLACK LIVES MATTER.” Political hyperpolarization prompts breathless push-back. Sample: “Check out @Target’s new uniform. I’m officially never shopping there again.”
The Lie
The photograph is genuine, an actual Target store cashier wears the t-shirt. But the shirt is not a Target uniform. Instead, it is a personal dress choice of the cashier, as permitted by Target policy. A Target Stores spokesperson tells the Reuters News Agency: “As part of our dress code, team members can wear a combination of red, denim and khaki, as long as their dress is not derogatory, vulgar, profane or directly referencing a political candidate. Based on these guidelines, this team member is in line with our dress code.”
