When I had my meeting with Tom and Jeff, I had brought in a folder of images that had a mood/look that I have been aiming for in my work. In order to help me be able to talk about the work of others better as well as my own work, and to figure out why I like the things I like in these images, he suggested that I sit down and analyze them. So, here is part 1 of that. There are some images that were not originally there, but I wanted to add a little more variety in what I'm looking for.
Joel-Peter Witkin "La Giovanissima"
Like in many of Witkin's photographs, there is an underlying religious reference that contrasts with the darkness that exists within his vision/subject matter. Here, the grasping of the breast is similar to that of the Virgin Mary when shown during either the occurrence of the lactation miracle or the breast feeding of the Christ child. I've been interested in these subtle religious gestures, but I haven't figured out a way to really incorporate them into my work without seeming trite. I also like her gaze, which is soft and distant. She doesn't seem as though she's focusing on anything tangible or at present but something far off, something that isn't of this world. Her gestures are even gentle. They remind me of something an art history teacher had mentioned in class about how women often had to refer to guides about the most feminine way to hold their hands.
One thing that really resonates with me about this image is the way the focus is placed on the eyes (or lack there of) belonging to the figures on the right. It's as if the girl is seeing for him. There is a tentativeness in her gaze and a sadness on the face of the man she leads. I get the feeling that he knows that he's missing something but can't place exactly what. All of them seem to be staring at the viewer, despite their varying states of vision (eyes, eye holes, no indication of eyes at all) which makes me feel like I am as transparent as a pane of glass which is an eerie feeling.
This image gives me the feeling that this young girl is running both toward something and away from something and that at the moment the photo was taken she was in a place of ambiguity -- stuck between retreat and release. I enjoy that the viewer is unable to see her face and must instead read her body language and surroundings to interpret what's going on. It also seems as though she could just be realizing that her paradise has been destroyed and all that remains are tawdry reminders of what once was which can be related to a loss of innocence/youth that I know I have come face to face with.
