Solenn Heussaff Says Sorry, Explains Photo Criticized as Poverty Porn
Actress and artist Solenn Heussaff apologized Thursday after she was accused of "poverty porn" for posting a photo meant to promote her upcoming art exhibit.
Heussaff said she only meant to show the "abundance and balance of what life was" when she made herself the main subject and sat crossed-legged in front of a painting of nature, with a "typical street" in Metro Manila behind her.
"I’ve been thinking a lot about the comments you guys left on the photo I posted. I know it sparked some debate and there were both good and bad takes on it. While I appreciate the encouragement some shared, I also want to apologize to those I have hurt," she said.
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The photo drew mixed comments, with conversations focusing on whether or not her attempt to depict what appears to be Manila's impoverished urban communities had glamorized poverty.
"Wanted to shoot it in a typical street, those we drive by everyday. Streets full of life, since all my paintings are about the people we see. Not the rich or the poor but people for who they are. Humanity. The choice of painting was to show the environmental side. The abundance and balance of what life was, but also growth and hope," she said.
While acknowledging that "art is subjective", Heussaff said the comments made her more sensitive to different perspectives with regards to her choice of setting.
She said there was no one else to blame but her, and not a "terrible marketing team", adding she only hoped to "honor the kind of life a lot of Filipinos live today and to show that Filipinos deserve better".
"It was my hope that I could lend my voice and my art to show the reality of Filipinos. This is the heart and inspiration of all my paintings, both old and new. I did not want to romanticize the poverty of the everyday Pinoy or the resiliency that we naturally have," Heussaff said.
"Thank you for letting this be an eye-opener for me as well. And to those that I have offended, I am sorry," she said.
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