MOURNING

Visconti, "Death in Venice" comes to mind, the era that I was brought up in and which influenced my perception from then forth. Fellini was another force in our lives, he allowed us to dream, which fast food and the internet no longer let us do today .. are we better off with all this technology and progress, I don't really know.

To return to your photo which instigated this outflow, it conveys the raw emotion, free of artifices, that arises from our feelings and not the mechanics which rule the world today. An interesting moment and message conveyed.

This photo and the series in which it resides don't appear free of artifice to me. The adeptly handled artifice and the imposition of strong compositional elements as well as the drama of the lighting  is part of why it's so good. These are not candids and they seem very intentional and made up even as they convey such real emotion and contemplative situations. They are sincere, genuine, and authentic, but with a strong sense of fabrication and no hint at the avoidance of artifice. It seems rather embraced to me. The artifice is often quite stark and my sense that it is done with self awareness and in order to dig a little deeper gives me that genuine feeling.

Anyone prevented from dreaming due to modern technology or fast food has only themselves to blame. It obviously doesn't get in the way of a whole lot of people. So many great photographers embraced each era's new technology in exploring new photographic avenues and possibilities. They were the visionaries and often the ones who moved the medium forward. Art usually embraces more than it rejects or judges.

Sweid.  What Fred G. said.  Your photographs are really well considered in my opinion (artifice embraced); however, I think John also makes a good point because your photographs seem spontaneous and convey raw emotion really effectively.  I think it is a testament to your talent that the impact of the image is the first thing I notice before I begin to break it down and try to understand it.  As for this image, I think the mouth carries the emotion and obscuring the eyes is effective, maybe even essential.  Great job.  Dana...

"Too much" clever and artistic idea, great result, BRAVO!!!

I don’t know if Fred’s remark is addressed more to the author of this photo than to my critique of it .. : -).   

He is nevertheless welcome to see as many artifices in it as he wishes, as are others not to, either of which may be a source of genuine feeling as he calls it, depending on who calls the card and what they personally identify with.

I happen to be staying at the moment in a village in the Mediterranean, where I frequently see people dressed like this, a respectful sign of mourning which remains “de rigueur” in this society, Carlos knows it since he’s been here. The void expression is also reminiscent of one seen often in my entourage, where dreams are related largely to survival from one period to the other and are little influenced by the progress made. Nothing even remotely artificial about either of these.

 Nevertheless, irrespective of whether Carlos set up the scene or not,  it is the emotion it conveys that I claimed to be free of artifices, not the model, and it is the meaning it transfers to each of us that is important, not how it was made. However, our perspectives seem to merge after that.

On the subject I brought up earlier that was extended on by Fred, most certainly Fellini, Antonioni and Visconti, continue to represent an era in which different values and aspirations co-existed.  Hmm, and why do such authors no longer exist outside of the universally copied Hollywood-style saga and serials of today?  Surely the content, even intensity of our dreams will differ also, alongside with the times, though some may not agree. 

Bang, bang and hamburgers influence our lives, not just the pioneering progress made in medicine and ha, photography too.  

Thank you Carlo for such a stimulating photo and Fred and Dana also for the discussion. 

Thanks a lot for your kind comment. The grief, or the deep sense of loss, was the subject, and you get it. Thanks again!

John

Such a strong -and flattering- parallel between my image and this unforgettable work of art named "Death in Venice"!

On the other hand, your reflexive last comment wake up my sediments, I mean, the fondest impulses that leads me to this series. My intention is always to dig deep and deeper inside our emotions, the mine in first place, and this joyful/painful exploration can produce a wide range of images, some valuables, some a bit of nothing. I know what are you talking about when you says "mourning de rigueur", because I am made of this indelible black stone fiber. Curiously, it was imperceptible for me meanwhile I pressed the shutter. This is my greek DNA I guess, the mystery of life persecution, the patient death waiting for us at the end of the road.

Because life is an illusion, a winner playing with our hopes, a cruel joke where we are the victims, nevertheless I can't exhaust my capacity for astonishment when I see the marvelous different ways of interpretation about everything. This photo included.

To Fred, for example, this work is technically based on artifices, or, if you do prefer Fred, an artifice was used in the process of creation. And this is not a minor issue, because you are pointing this fact as an important piece of the context. I guess that our points of view are the product of our unique perception of the surrounding world. Quality is not the matter here (regular one I must say) but the emotions provoked on the observer. You perceives an artifice side a side with the grief beauty, and this sensation is perfectly right beyond the subject pursued by me. But, the same "artifice" word means slightly different concepts to each one of us, and this time I must confess that I can't have an exact idea about the "artifice" meaning for you. Take it easy, perhaps this is the unavoidable consequence of my bad english language skills.

 Ups! I think I am digressing excessively now. Never mind, I am flattered by your attention and your time to comment on this image.

Dana

Your "artifice embraced" expression makes me smile, and makes my day as well, and I feel good with your words because I can see that my goal is achieved. I mean, always I try to say something to the observer (what a pretentious!). Not about the techniques or equipment, but about myself. ¿What I am talking about with this photo? And you gave me an answer.

Mau

I am absolutely happy with your "too much", really happy. Tante grazie amico!