[Content note for lynching imagery]
Now, some might see an eerie, atmospheric black-and-white shot of a tree with a noose hanging from it, titled, “The Hanging Tree,” and think, “Oh, God, lynching.” Accompany that image with an all-caps, italic COMING SOON, and some might think, “Wow, that’s verging on threatening.” But if you look at those things and think, “I bet there’s a new Photoshop action pack coming out, and I for one can. Not. Wait,” then either you work for Florida creative tool company Seasalt & Co. or are a friend of theirs and need to step in and tell them to get a grip.
That was the image (briefly) on Seasalt’s Facebook page to tease the upcoming release of the action suite, and no sooner was it up than people were seeing it and blanching at the imagery that, intentional or not, can’t be separated from a time when “lynch mob” wasn’t just a hyperbolic euphemism for an Internet pile-on.
Comments and shares started pouring in — including those from people who were offended at the imagery of a noose hanging from a tree, which has become synonymous with racial terror and the lynching of black people in U.S. history. Many user comments had been removed from the Facebook post; the first that appeared from the company itself was a reply thanking a supporter “for thinking outside the box on this. Being hung wasn’t designed just for one race of people. There is a long standing history and more to what is being seen in this advertising image. It represents so much more.”
The image — and all associated comments — was quickly removed and replaced with a nonpology that has also been removed.
Those with concerns about a product of ours, should take proper measures to support their claims. This certain product is not meant to offend anyone nor directed toward any persons, nor has anything to do any certain race. Coming to this page or going to other outlets to express your emotions will not remedy a cure, but spread hate. We have no broken any rights any American has. If you feel your rights are being violated, please contact the civil rights department with your concerns. With or without ones support, we will continue to design our product as it was intended to be made. We are sorry for all those that feel offended, you’re not required to agree with or purchase any of our products. There has been a huge misunderstanding what this product represents. We have given several attempts to explain what it is about and it has been apparent our efforts do not matter to those unwilling to make reason and listen. Our product is about having “freedom” not the act of causing anymore harm. We as a company are using our artistic freedom and expression to take a stand and will continue to do so.
To be perfectly clear: The stand they’re taking in the name of freedom and artistic freedom and expression is hawking a set of soon-to-be-released Photoshop actions.
To be even clearer: People who find this offensive should direct themselves to the civil rights department.
Because this collection of Photoshop actions is about taking back freedom and refusing to be hated against by the industry mobs joining to bully and ridicule artist[s] and hang them up and ruin their lively hoods. The noose just represents being hung, y’all. And Seasalt & Co. refuses to be hung anymore. People where hung for nothing other than hate, and Seasalt is tired of hate. They’re moving on.
As you might expect, people objected, including people on social media, including one Rachel Stewart, a jewelry designer and artist who engaged them in a dialogue and, in so doing, gave them a whole lot more time, patience, and respect to these assbags than any saint should be expected to give.
And Seasalt doubled down.
And then…
To be perfectly crystal clear: Stewart offered to further share their openly posted social media content on social media, and Seasalt threatened legal action.
Their current Facebook nonpology further doubles down (triples down?), talking about a collection that “is about rising above and refusing to let the world run us and hang us by any mistakes we have made or didn’t make.” Seasalt creates art by “emotion and things that hit home for us.” “Not everyone understands as art it’s [sic] subjective.” They can’t help that people “haven’t been able to see past that.” They meant no harm. “Some choose to see only what they want to see.” Seasalt will be donating proceeds from their collection to charities that “support equality and artist” — “maybe even a scholarship fund” — because they want to fight for justice and equality and make it known that they’re no longer following “the leaders of hate or bulling/attacking of others.”
It’s because you don’t understand art. You don’t understand that the fear and violence experienced by people of color, and the threatening nature of just a loop of rope, is basically the same as the hatred experienced by graphic artists because of a reason. Being literally hanged for simply existing in society while being black is clearly parallel to being figuratively hanged as an artist in some way for something possibly having to do with mistakes, which you would understand if you were an artist. And most important, they meant no harm by it, which automatically means that no harm was done, because that’s the way intent works.
So stop bullying them, people! You don’t understand art! And the world will continue to stay ugly if we don’t stop the hate. It’s up to us.
N.B. Blah blah blah First Amendment blah blah freedom of expression blah blah ART blah. No one’s denying these turdbuckets’ rights to produce and use that image. People are just calling them turdbuckets for doing it.