Smoking Kids by Frieke Janssens

Belgian photographer Frieke Janssens made Extremely controversial portraits of smoking children. These photographs was inspired by YouTube video of smoking Indonesian toddler. The video highlighted the cultural differences between the east and west, and questioned notions of smoking being a mainly adult activity. Adult smokers are the societal norm, so I wanted to isolate the viewer's focus upon the issue of smoking itself. I felt that children smoking would have a surreal impact upon the viewer and compel them to truly see the acts of smoking rather than making assumptions about the person doing the act. 

 The aesthetics of smoke and the particular way smokers gesticulate with their hands and posture cannot be denied, but there is also a nod to less attractive aspects, on the line between beauty and ugliness of smoking. There were no real cigarettes on set. Instead, chalk and sticks of cheese were uses as props, while candles and incense provided the smoke.