The Wrong Turn is a 2014 series of fashion photos by photographer Raj Shetye; the photos were inspired by the 2012 Delhi gang rape case, where the victim, known as Nirbhaya, was brutally raped and murdered on a bus by a group of men. Each photo depicts a woman wearing fashionable clothing on a bus, generally posed so that she is pushing away several men. Press coverage of the photos indicated that while photographer Raj Shetye saw his work as bringing attention to the important issue of sexual violence in India, others viewed it as glamorizing rape. You can see more photos from the series here.

discussion

How would you classify these pictures (e.g. as art, advertisements, advocacy, fashion, etc.)? Why? How does the photo compare to an ad?

What do you think the title The Wrong Turn means? How does it relate to the problem of sexual violence?

Raj Shetye said he “didn’t want to create something irresponsible.” Do you think he succeeded in this goal or not?

Do you think that photography can be a useful tool to bring attention to issues such as sexual violence? What about fashion? Why or why not? How might you represent a sensitive topic like rape?