3.23.2017

BEN LOWY: The Comment Section

 © Benjamin Lowy 2017

 © Benjamin Lowy 2017

 © Benjamin Lowy 2017

 © Benjamin Lowy 2017

 © Benjamin Lowy 2017

 © Benjamin Lowy 2017

 © Benjamin Lowy 2017

© Benjamin Lowy 2017

"I’m a big fan of graphic novels—an oft derided literary genre—where morality is drawn in black and white; the hero and the villain. There is little patience for ambiguity in the battle between the two. I am over-simplifying comics, but in its essence it has always been a battle between good and evil. Though, like all good fantasy or science fiction, it masks real world issues under the veil of disposable entertainment. The 2016 election felt like an opportune time for me to combine the illustrations of what I saw, with the textual airings of our collective inner monologues. Twitter as the comic book thought bubble." – Benjamin Lowy, 2017

The Comment Section creatively interprets the divisive political landscape during the 2016 United States presidential campaign. Through illustrations and curated public comments, Lowy depicts the enmity between Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals, globalists and nationalists, among others. He pairs documentary images turned into illustrations taken during the yearlong run-up to the presidential election, with the absurd rhetoric that filled newsrooms and social media news feeds. The Comment Section gives readers a visual peek into what shook the psyche of a nation. It is a reflection on the growing mis/use of social media and the breakdown of dialogue.’

All illustrations were made from unaltered photographs taken on assignment by photojournalist Benjamin Lowy for Time Magazine, The New York Times Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal. All tweets and comments were publicly accessible. "Special thanks goes to my partner Marvi Lacar and my editors Stacey Baker, Olivier Laurent, Paul Moakley, Sarah Morse, Kira Pollack, Abby Sher, and Kathy Ryan."


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