New York-based artist Jon Burgerman is using a unique tactic to protest the violent movie and television posters he encounters on the subway every day. He brings the implied brutality of the posters a step closer to reality by taking strategic photos of himself near the weaponry featured in the ads, then digitally adds blood, bullet holes, and arrow wounds. He calls the series “Head Shots.”
He explained the origin of “Head Shots” — which he calls a “quiet intervention” — to Yahoo Movies:
“With each reoccurring high-profile tragedy in the US involving shootings, I find myself being evermore paranoid and vigilant when I leave my apartment… I’ve noticed there are some very obvious threats right under our noses, in plain view, for everyone to see. Who are these people aiming at?”
Burgerman tried submitting his photos to a national newspaper in his native UK, but the publication said the images were too violent. As he told Gothamist:
“Yet it seems completely acceptable to promote and aggrandize acts of violence on a large scale to an unwitting public. What messages are we promoting when much exalted and celebrated celebrities and ‘heroes’ are publicly shown brandishing weapons who’s prime function is to either injure or kill?”
Here are some of the best of the series. See more of Jon’s work at JonBurgerman.com.