Poster campaign
Fake poster shocks with bloody Kate Middleton
Alexsandro Palombo manipulates the images of celebrities for his actions
© Alexsandro Palombo
One of the posters shows the Duchess of Cambridge with serious abuse. It’s a Photoshop manipulation for an anti-violence campaign. However, Kate Middleton’s photo was used without her consent.
The nose burst open, the lips swollen, the cheekbones covered with bruises – nobody has seen the Duchess of Cambridge like this before. The photo reads in red letters “She reported him” – “she reported him”. Below that follows the sentence: “But nobody believed her – but she was left alone. But she was not protected – but he was not stopped. But she was killed anyway.”
The harrowing photo was taken as part of a campaign to combat violence against women. Little did Kensington Palace know that the picture of Kate would be used. Permission was not asked. The images were spread across Europe, including in the streets of Milan and the coastal town of Los Alcazares in southern Spain.
In an earlier campaign, photos of Hilary Clinton and Angela Merkel were used.
© alexsandropalombo / Instagram
Repeated campaign
Kate Middleton is not alone. Other women whose pictures were used in the campaign include US Vice President Kamala Harris, Queen Letizia of Spain and European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen. It can be assumed that the Italian artist and activist Alexsandro Palombo, who took the pictures, did not ask the other women in public life for permission either. Palombo said he wanted to “draw attention to insufficient policy responses to the issue of gender-based violence” and underline the “ineffectiveness of the support and protection system for victims”. He admits he meant to shock but did not want to suggest that any of the famous people were actually a victim of domestic violence. This is exactly what he is accused of on social media.
The interference in the life of the portrayed does not seem to bother him. There was a similar campaign as early as 2020 – a picture of Chancellor Angela Merkel was also used. The text message was slightly different: “I am a victim of domestic violence. I get less money. I have experienced genital mutilation. I do not have the right to dress how I want. I cannot choose who I am.” A previous 2015 campaign featured manipulated photos of the battered faces of US celebrities such as actresses Kristen Stewart and Angelina Jolie and pop star Madonna.