Following criticism by an anti-domestic violence organization, Tyler Shields, the photographer behind the berated “bruised-up Barbie” photo shoot of blond “Glee” star Heather Morris bearing a fake black eye, will be auctioning off the photo at a starting price of $100,000 and giving all proceeds to a domestic violence charity.
TMZ reports that Shields is addressing the negative buzz behind his photos, which show the 24-year-old actress smiling as she pretends to iron the male photographer’s crotch as well as tugging her ponytail on an ironing board. According to the online celebrity news site, Shields felt bad about “the way” many perceived his snapshots. (MORE: ‘Glee’ actress participates in ‘bruised-up Barbie shoot’)
“Even Barbie gets bruises,” Shields had written in his blog alongside his pics of Morris, who can be seen bare-shouldered drinking water from an iron, with her hands tied up, and bruised.
The artist, who also conducted last year’s weird photo shoot of Lindsay Lohan in a revealing bra inside a blood spattered room, claims he hadn’t intended to glamorize domestic violence, but some argued he lacked understanding and sensitivity on the issue.
“I don’t know if Tyler is aware but I’m quite sure there are plenty of women who have been abused by these kinds of household appliances and children as well being hit with electrical cords,” Rita Smith of the Denver-based National Coalition Against Domestic Violence told E!. “If he had stopped with the image of the bruise, [the pics] could conceivably be used as a way to raise awareness about the impact of violence but the other things do make it look appealing, as if she might be enjoying the process and I don’t think that’s helpful.”