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Monochrome conceptual fine art photograph 'SANCTIONED' by Arjan Spannenburg, presenting a family in a defensive posture as multiple hands extend from the periphery to tear them asunder, underscoring themes of resilience and societal pressures.
Arjan Spannenburg

SANCTIONED

"A defiant monument to rainbow families, challenging the viewer to choose between protection and destruction in an increasingly polarised world."

The Narrative

The Unbreakable Bond in a Fragmenting World

At a time when the legitimacy of rainbow families is under global scrutiny,SANCTIONEDstands as a monumental act of resistance and devotion. Created as a visceral response to the shifting political climate in Italy, where the rights of LGBTQ+ parents were being systematically curtailed, the emotion it evokes is universal: the primal human instinct to shield one’s family from a judgmental world.

The power of this piece lies in its raw, high-contrast monochrome execution. Stripped of the distraction of colour, the viewer is forced to confront the essence of the struggle: the texture of the encroaching hands and the unflinching gaze of the fathers. The composition is deliberately claustrophobic yet resilient; the hands reaching from the periphery symbolise the external pressures of legislation and social prejudice attempting to dismantle the family unit. In the centre, the fathers and their children remain an impenetrable core of light against a threatening darkness.

The Viewer as Judge and Jury

Gedurende die 2023Paratissimaexhibition in Turin, this symbolism transitioned from the visual to the physical. Printed on a vulnerable fabric rather than behind glass,SANCTIONEDbecame an interactive moral trial. Visitors were faced with a haunting choice: those opposed to LGBTQ+ rights were invited to cut the fabric with scissors; those in support could reinforce it with tape. The third option, silence and passivity, became the most profound, as spectators returned later to see the damage their inaction allowed.SANCTIONEDis more than a photograph it is a historical document of the zeitgeist and a reminder that in the face of injustice neutrality is a choice

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Visual Analysis

A high-contrast black and white conceptual photograph featuring a family at its centre. Two men (fathers) are closely embracing two young children. Their expressions are serious and resilient, looking directly into the lens. Multiple hands enter the frame from all sides, some grasping at the subjects, creating a sense of tension and external pressure. The lighting is dramatic, highlighting the faces and the texture of the skin against a deep black background. The overall aesthetic is cinematic and evocative of classical chiaroscuro techniques.

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Year

2023

Genres

LGBT+QueerKunsaktivisme