According to the so-called artist, he "selected phrases intentionally focused on MY shortcomings. Phrases that were the most painful for ME. Phrases that I thought deserved my focused attention."

Are we ignoring that the phrases suggest the over-the-hill, dead-beat (father) is a pathological liar, sociopath, cheater, stalker and abuser (physically and mentally). He has embraced his shortcomings (to say the least), so much so that he felt the need to publicly display them in order to give them his full attention. Mom, I hope you've requested supervised visits.

Are we ignoring that this 42-year-old unknown was (just that) a nobody until he exploited the words of his 21-year-old ex? Not only did this young woman incite this lowlife's personal growth (at the tender age of 42) but she also single handedly triggered the pinnacle of his career. Quite an accomplishment at 21. Not so impressive after decades of "aspiring [to] get people to talk," especially since we aren't talking about the pictures (of someone else's work).

If the ex has done anything, she has lent a helping hand to all women in the D.C. area by exposing this loon for what he is. Kudos!

I created these images in the midst of my own personal emotional firestorm. The way most artists create their art.
As a personal exploration. You see, I was still in love with Halley when I started this project and hated myself for what I had done. I knew my cavalier actions had caused the end of a relationship that I had cherished.
I created the images not as a way to strike out, but as a
way to strike at myself. I intentionally titled the piece in a self deprecating way to focus the blame on myself. I took her messages as a call to action in my life. A signal to change destructive behaviours that had caused me and my loved ones great pain. I selected phrases intentionally focused on MY shortcomings. Phrases that were the most painful for ME. Phrases that I thought deserved my focused attention. I intentionally obsured any identifying elements to protect her and kept only those that identified me. Never to mock her. and always self recriminating. Embarrassed or not, I truly believe that SHE is the protagonist of the art work, not the villian.

My original concept for the work was 2 hand-made books of 20 images each, one to be sent to her, and one for me. Created as a way to show her I had spent a large amount of time reading and contemplating her words, and that I had internalized them. It was that simple.
It was for me to send to her.

People saw the images though, and most responded powerfully. People that knew us responded one way while others responded in another way entirely.

People closely tied to the personalities involved, bring to their
viewing experience their own loyalties and affections, as they should.
This however, colors their experience and makes it fundamentally
different from a viewer that lacks those very direct connections to the
Art work/atrist and his subject. For many of those viewers, each image instead becomes about their own
break-ups or experiences with betrayal, their own personal histories and issues completely independant of mine and Halleys.
I knew that something larger than my own personal experience with Halley was being touched. As a person that
creates images designed to touch people, this is success.

The images are resonant to some people because they hold real emotion. Not pleasant, or
happy emotion, no, they contain real pain, betrayal and hurt. Not
only Halley's but mine as well. Not only ours but also everyone that
identifies with the work. That much is true. The work makes many
people feel something. (granted not all, but what art does?) It makes poeple talk about issues. These things are what any artist aspires to.

Now to the issue of weather or not I should have shown it.
Truthfully, I am conflicted. The opportunity to show it came
on very quickly, and I was required to respond very quickly in order
for it to happen. As an artist I have always wanted to show my work
and this body seemed very powerful and true. When Fraser Gallery ( one of the more prestigeous photography spaces in our area) approached me, I was naturally flattered. I accepted without giving the deeper issues the thourough thought I should have.

I knew the show may embarrass Halley some, but we hadn't actually spoken to eachother in almost a year. I do regret any adiditional pain this show has caused for her. But, in the end , I stand behind creating the work and it's validity and pertinence.

The images:

http://www.photogroup-ftp.com/DS/ihu/

"I. Hate. You. Letters to a Cheating Boyfriend" by Doug Sanford examines themes related to infidelity through a series of photographs highlighting scathing statements contained in emails from his ex-lover. Originally created in an effort to face the fallout of his own personal actions, this intimate look at one persons pain and anger in contrast to another's culpability for it, illustrates the universality of our own collective experience.

Doesn't sound like he walked away at all.

Does she have a legal case? Obviously not, as she herself seems to recognize. Does she have a right to be pissed off? I think she did then, and she does now. This case may have been good for Sanford's notoreity, but I don't think he's going to walk away from it smelling like roses, exactly.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/chowdah/bios/halley_bondy.html

Had the ex-girlfriend simply stayed out of it, the photos would have come and gone and nothing would have come out of it. Her name and identity were unknown to anyone until she revealed it herself in the above letter.

She's helped the scum tremendously by adding a lot of fuel to a little fire.

And then she outs herself?

I think that she's seeking some "spotlight" of her own...

Tsk, tsk...