M.A.F.I.A., a photography collective in Rio, Argentina captured the dark knight in a new way. It's easy to imagine that an American billionaire could become a hero because of his wealth and access to high-tech gadgets and weapons. But if Batman was an average or a poor man, what would he look like?
The Argentinian photographers created a makeshift costume from garbage bags and other recycled materials and captured the hero performing as he would if he were homeless, dismissed and unappreciated. The collection of images is a "raw mixture of performance, comics, and street art."
The series demonstrates a unique perspective -- it breaks down the idea of a hero and shows how big of a role money and status plays in the development of those roles. 'Poor Batman' definitely speaks to that stereotype, questioning it and begging for viewers to deconstruct the products of the status quo.
Heroic Perspective-Shifted Photography
M.A.F.I.A. Explores What a Poor Batman Would Look Like
Trend Themes
1. Status-centric Heroism - Developing anti-hero characters that challenge the status quo can provoke conversations about the nature of heroism and its relationship to wealth.
2. Upcycled Costumes - Exploring the potential for creating unique and impactful costumes from repurposed materials can inspire eco-friendly innovation in the fashion and entertainment industries.
3. Street Art Performance - Incorporating street art elements in photography and performance can create visually captivating and thought-provoking pieces that blur the line between art and everyday life.
Industry Implications
1. Entertainment - Using the exploration of a hero’s origin story to ignite the idea of creating an underdog universe with all of the aesthetics and lore associated with typical superhero stories but from the perspective of historically oppressed groups.
2. Sustainability - Through the examination of repurposing materials as costume components and set design, sustainable practices can be incorporated in the fashion, art, and film industry resulting in impactful and environmentally responsible visual productions.
3. Photography & Fine Arts - The melding of performance art and street art into photographic displays brings attention to important social topics and gives historically marginalized people the opportunity to redefine the canon of Western art to include their stories and experiences.