Smoking Kids by Frieke Jannsens

IMAGE ANALYSIS

Smoking Kids is a series by Frieke Janssens. Frieke Janssens was inspired by a YouTube video of a chain smoking Indonesian toddler. The video highlighted the cultural differences between the east and west, and questioned notions of smoking being a normal adult activity. I think this image is a social commentary on the issue of smoking itself regardless the age and gender. Frieke Janssens intention is to isolate the viewer’s focus upon the issue of smoking itself. It would not have a surreal impact upon the viewer if the subject matter weren’t kids. Therefore, they could truly see the acts of smoking rather than making assumptions about the person doing the act.

The kids are different in ethnicity, race and facial features. They are different in hair and skin color. Frieke Janssens also give each of the kids a unique character. It’s almost feel like all of them are real individuals. There are girls who are very girly, boyish, Madame-like. It’s also apparent in the boys. In my opinion, these kids were styled in nostalgic vintage clothes to create an old-fashioned era. However, It’s interesting that they were dressed in adult’s attires. This highly stylized adult-like looks is to emphasize the juxtaposition between the styling and the fact that they are children.

The culture of smoking has a retro feel, like the time period of 90’s movies. The kids look oddly convincing mimicking smokers’ casual postures as they blow smoke from their noses and flick out their wrists. They imitate various kind of stances on taking a puff of his/her cigar. The most notorious kind is blowing smoke rings, which considered cool by some parties. Also, There are different ways of smoking-style portrayed in this series. For example, cigarette holder like Audrey Hepburn, pipe smoker, the usage of zippo, and etc.

These series undeniably raises reactions on the viewer’s. It raises an issue of the unhealthy, destructive, and harmful effect of smoking. I strongly believed, it wouldn’t have been so provocative and controversial if the subject matter weren’t kids. Otherwise, This series wouldn’t have had much attention and discussion. This series has caused people to stop and reflect the effect of smoking why it’s socially acceptable for adult to smoke, but why is it inappropriate for kids to do the exact act. Imagine, you are giving a kid one roll of cigarette, it’s an immoral act. However, it’s very normal for adult to share and give their cigarettes among friends or even strangers. This has brought me to a conclusion that us human is a creature that constantly judging what’s socially acceptable, appropriate, and ethical regardless our standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do.

Do Janssens' photographs drawn a critical view on smoking in contemporary culture or are these photographs inevitably controversial? Whether portraying children with cigarettes or adults taking their final portraits before dying, Janssens is interested in taking a deeper look into society norms. “Smoking Kids” is one among all of her great works. She has successfully done a great job on this series from the styling, posing, the sitters wise, the colors are all well constructed.