Backlash as artwork immortalizing Australian break dancer Raygun appears in the California desert: ‘She doesn’t deserve recognition’

One photographer has created a unique tribute to the controversial Australian break dancer Raygun using light photography in the California desert.

Darren Pearson, who goes by the artist name Dariustwin, used light to paint 44 individual images on his camera that showed various moves from Raygun’s now infamous breakdancing routine at the Paris Olympics.

He stitched many of them into a video with the images overdubbed with actual sound from her Paris performance.

The controversial nature of Raygun’s (real name Rachel Gunn) routine drew plenty of negative comments onto Dariustwin’s post.

‘Why not do a tribute to the winner, instead of the person who made a literal mockery of breakdancing?,’ read one comment on Instagram. ‘Ugh. Hope you enjoy the negative engagement on this post.’

Rachel Gunn (aka Raygun) has been immortalized in a series of light painting photographs

The artist Dariustwin used light to re-create some of the moves made by the Aussie B-girl

‘Unfortunately She cheated the Real Olympic contestants to make Australia a laughing stock!,’ another comment said.

‘She needs to be held accountable for stealing an Olympic seat,’ yet another comment said. ‘So many people are so much more talented, her own company shouldn’t be allowed to award her a seat.’ 

But many more comments praised the artwork while still taking the chance to bash Raygun’s performance in the process.

‘This was so much more impressive than the original performance,’ reads the top comment.

‘Raygun should thank you. You made her look good,’ read another comment.

Another said, ‘while I find her performance an insult to the spirit of the [Olympic] games, your art is amazing!!!’ 

Raygun has been facing calls for a public apology after her now-viral performance in Paris earned her zero points and finished second-to-last among all B-girls in the competition.

Raygun generated international controversy with her poor performance in Paris

In a video posted to Instagram, Gunn thanked her supporters while addressing the controversy.

‘Hi everyone, Raygun here,’ she said in the video. ‘I just wanna start by thanking all the people who have supported me.

‘I really appreciate the positivity and I am glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives, that is what I had hoped.

‘I didn’t realize that that would also open the door to so much hate which has frankly been pretty devastating.

‘While I went out there and had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave it my all. Truly.

‘I’m honoured to have been a part of the Australian Olympic team and to be part of Breaking’s Olympic debut. What the other athletes have achieved has just been phenomenal.’