Then when I began searching for photos that would "lament" this time period, I thought of the book Amazing Grace and it's vivid descriptions of the reality of the life in the South Bronx. I found the artist Roy DeCavara (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/arts/29decarava.html) who was known for his photographs of the reality of Harlem. Not to say they didn't contain their own beauty but they also didn't hide aspects of Harlem or try to paint a picture perfect image over top of what existed. This image I felt contrasted the message of the first in a few ways. The scene is noticeably falling apart and filled with debris. Instead of a car, there is a broken down cart, and a billboard of a car, as if it's a dream not quite within reach.
I think this exercise can show how different perspectives see different sides in life... Where people come from.. and it also shows how varied nostalgia can be. What makes one person think of and miss home or a time or place may be different than those details that another person thinks of.
Excellent analysis and final comments! I too think that nostalgia, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. It's also pretty relative as well. It's funny how you best remember the good times, and often with a little something extra that may or may not have happened. It's not too often that we look back on life's difficulties or moments of failure or despair and see a time of nostalgia. Yet these times too can be a great source of reflection if they are viewed with honesty and an open mind.
ReplyDeleteGreat comparison photos! I like how you were able to make the connection of the car and the car in the billboard...man, reality can really suck...
ReplyDeleteI like that you bring up awareness of where one comes from. "Home" and the places we come from are so much a part of an individual that it is imperative to take notice of this, especially as an art teacher. This idea can be used to understand art, as well as students in one's classroom.
ReplyDeleteI did the same Van Der Zee photo - I thought it was perfect for the glamour!
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