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© Copyright Linda Davidson

Inspired-by-Diane-Arbus-1


ldavidson

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© Copyright Linda Davidson

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The photo by Diane Arbus "Child with a toy hand grenade in Central Park, NYC" - 1962, shocked me when I first saw it. It haunted me. When I look at Diane's original photo I still feel a slight bit of shock and sadness, even though I know now that it was staged. I had my son pose for me as a man with hand grenade. Not so disturbing in today's world. I wanted to show the long lasting influence and impact photography can have on people, and also give a small tribute to Diane Arbus in thanks for her unforgettable work.

 

 

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i love the idea of the not so young boy so willingly and trusting posing for his mother, the artist with the camera bossing people around to do her bidding. The Arbus connection is noted but your photograph is way too funny to be connected with the crazy dead woman who so clearly got to you as she absolutely got to me.

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First, I do tend to agree with Carlos.

 

What grabs me about the Arbus photo is not so much the hand grenade, though that is of course important to the whole idea and gestalt of the picture. It's more the awkwardness of the child, his expression, the way he's dressed. So the hand grenade actually plays off those important characteristics Arbus often finds. It's the combination of innocence and the toy grenade that is made so powerful in Arbus's hands. And I think the "type" of child he is is very much part of the equation, seemingly thin, fragile, not terribly confident. I think Arbus had an uncanny way of being in tune with types while not really stereotyping but instead accepting and opening our eyes to types that had not previously been dealt with in such an upfront and simultaneously individual manner.

 

Linda, for me the connection of the hand grenade doesn't alone pay homage or connect me with Arbus. The sensibility she had toward her "characters" and her unflinching presentation of them is what distinguishes her, IMO. Having said that, all comparisons to Arbus aside, there is much to like about this photo, particularly the strong black and white approach, the great lighting which really accentuates his feature and expression, the great texture you've achieved in his beard, hair, skin, and even the smooth reflectiveness of his glasses. For me, it works better as a portrait than as the joke it seems to be portraying with the inclusion of the hand grenade.

 

My gut reaction for whatever it's worth.

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Thank you Fred. I understand that the boy in Central Park had become very annoyed with Diane for taking so long to take the shot. She was probably trying to get it just right, telling him to move here, there. His expression showed real frustration and annoyance. The impact of that crazy little face on that small, thin body was something that stayed in my memory since I first saw it, early or mid sixties. I was truly shocked to find out a few years ago that it had been completely staged. Apparently he was just a normal happy kid playing in the park. I have great respect for Arbus as a fearless artist. I suspect she herself felt like an outcast, someone who lived on the fringes of society. I know she became deeply involved with some of her subjects and I agree with your comment, "The sensibility she had toward her "characters" and her unflinching presentation of them is what distinguishes her." Well said.

I think it is interesting that Josuf Karsh's portrait of Winston Churchill, shows another unforgettable expression. Karsh fussed and bossed Churchill around trying to get the right pose. Churchill had a cigar in his mouth, he was becoming annoyed. Karsh ripped it out of his mouth and clicked capturing that real annoyance, indignation, almost anger in one of the most memorable portraits of all time.

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