Laura Gorun & Rachel Joy | Julie Healy | Karen Magazine #11

Laura Gorun and Rachel Joy channel our cultural stereotypes around widows dressed in black. The widow is by definition not chaste but experienced and therefore a woman to be feared.

Widow women have made their pact with the devil in this visually stimulating and provocative Karen Magazine editorial, lensed by Julie Healy and styled by Michael Azzolini.

Not to get psychologically heavy with readers, but Ernest Becker’s treatise about relations between men and women is that in our very nature, women remind men of their mortality and therefore death. The act of orgasm itself is called ‘petit mort’ in French. Death and the Devil walk hand in hand.

via FGR

Comments

[Dan]

Hmmmmmmmm, where to begin? To morbid for my taste, while beautiful, it presents such a dark expression of death. I looked and read and wondered, how would i change this to show the beauty of transition to the next experience after this life? What different colors would i use, what beauty would be a part of it. Widows, who are alive i find very exciting. They dont remind me of death or anyone to be feared; but let me dance with you widow, let me look in your eyes and see the depth of your knowledge, love and sensuality.
I find Becker to be way off base. We all transition, but how we choose to, I believe i have a choice in. Transition happens, why worry about it? Let me enjoy every moment between now and then. Orgasm can also bring life and creation of other worlds. The concept of orgasm and death is so limiting. Looking at this and reading it makes me want to scream with the energy of life, not death, not fear; but connection, oneness, beauty, breaking free and loving every moment. Sorry Anne, life is to much fun to be morbid and spend time on the dark side. I own my shadows but i prefer to shine light on them....Happy holidays you literary goddess of the mirror of all the is feminine...xoxo

[Anne]

Yes, Dan, but it requires much self-development on a man's part to feel as you do. I do believe that men are very ambivalent about women being the obstacle to their flying like Icarus. Man wants to transcend nature. Woman keeps him grounded in it.

And you know that I share your positive view of life. But as a cultural critic and meaning-maker, I find much relevance in Becker's arguments.

"Denial of Death" is for me an incredibly important book. Unfortunately, Becker himself died a premature death from cancer at about 50.

Love to you, too, Dan.