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Cecilia Lim | all galleries >> Galleries >> mixed impressions > Liberty
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2 April 2008 Las Vegas, USA

Liberty

Men were giving out these girls-for-sex call cards to anyone passing by, and placed them in every visible nook and cranny all over Las Vegas. It made such a strong impression on me and reaffirmed in my mind Vegas' status as Sin City. Vegas holds nothing back!

I am quite proud of this image as it is probably one of the most sophisticated and controversial images I've made thus far, in terms of ideological content, social commentary and the use of symbols. Please feel free to leave your comments. I'd love to know how you've interpreted this image, and if my point-of-view has come across as well as I hope it has.


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Cecilia Lim23-Aug-2009 21:46
Hi Iris - great to hear from you! Thanks for leaving your thoughts about this image. I like how you interpreted MGM and the girls as being on the same side of the fence even though they appear to be on different sides - that they both prostitute themselves for their own gains. And the revealing truth about Ms. Liberty being "compromised by the morals and the values and the hypocrisy of the society she so proudly represents". You've enriched us all here with the depth of your perception and given us a different angle on this image to ponder about! Thank you Iris for the wonderful comment!
Iris Maybloom (irislm)22-Aug-2009 19:31
The "sex industry" is one based on entertainment, exploitation, and financial gain. This industry (as depicted in your image by the posted cards) is barred from the traditional American landscape because of the nature of the "product" it sells. However, MGM, an icon of the American landscape, is welcomed by the outstretched arm of Lady Liberty, although it, too, represents an industry based on entertainment, reputed exploitation, and financial gain where aspiring "stars" will ostensibly prostitute themselves to achieve their ends. While MGM is an integral part of the American landscape, the sex industry, although inching into the bars of legitimacy, is a long way off from acceptance. Ms. Liberty can be compromised by the morals and the values and the hypocrisy of the society she so proudly represents. This is indeed a thought provoking image, Celia.
Cecilia Lim18-Aug-2009 19:59
Hi Tim, thanks for sharing your thoughts here! I am fascinated by your interpretation of the women as being crucified on the cross of "Liberty". And I absolutely agree with you on the point about women living in countries with little liberty who are still being exploited for sex. Unfortunately, as long as there is a demand for it, women everywhere will be exploited, whether by choice or not. The only difference is how publicly it is being done. The sex industry in Malaysia is alive and thriving I am pretty sure, even though it is banned here, but the only difference is that you would never ever see public advertisements like these around.
Tim May18-Aug-2009 19:02
For me, this image is evokes a sense of crucifixion the women seems crucifies on the cross of liberty. But - other cultures without "liberty" also similarly exploit people in the sex industries.
Phil Douglis16-Aug-2009 20:22
I love your interpretation, Celia, and the image can certainly make that point. We came at it from different viewpoints -- I see it as metaphor for a truly free society -- where even sleaze like this is not only allowed, but encouraged. You see it as questioning freedom. I guess it is all in how we interpret the position of the ads on the barred fence. Are these women forced into such jobs? Or has a morally questionable occupation found free expression in this society? You are right -- the ultimate purpose of an expressive image should be to provoke thought. And this one certainly does just that.
Cecilia Lim16-Aug-2009 16:51
Thanks very much for weighing in here Phil! I loved your interpretation about the seductive women escaping from the bars behind them, emphasising the whole idea about liberty. However, I had also intended to spark questions about the true status of women's liberty, especially in regards to those in the sex industry. It was a deliberate move on my part to fill the entire image with the fence, creating a cage or a barrier between them and the "liberty" seen outside the fence. The women may seem completely free in sharing herself with the world, defying what society deems as moral and good, but in most cases, women enter the sex industry because they felt they had no choice. This image is about lack of restraint and freedom in Vegas, but it also questions the true meaning of freedom. This image is really very much open to interpretation and if it succeeds in provoking thoughts in viewers, such as yours Phil, then I am delighted!
Phil Douglis16-Aug-2009 00:02
Liberty is defined in the dictionary as "being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life behavior, or political views." The softly focused statue in the background, a Vegas replica of the real thing, is the best known icon of liberty in the world. The seductive advertisements tucked into the fence are icons of liberty as well, when seen in this context. They escape from the bars behind them, their imagery promising erotic pleasures that would be considered vulgar (or even obscene) elsewhere. Las Vegas represents a response to the commonly accepted "community values" elsewhere in the US. The kind of values expressed here are proof that "Liberty" is not an idle boast. Your image, Celia, shows liberty in action.