untitled (girl and swing #4) 2006 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize entry

In homage to the cubist poet PierreReverdy who's thoughts were echoed in Andre Breton's SurrealistManifesto some seventy-five years ago:

Comments and constructive criticism welcome. Cheers...John.

Beautiful work , Very strong . It looks like suicide

Good picture .. ice

I like it!! Yes, i thought of suicide at first to but why did i??? This is a great picture that spins reality, i feel like i need to see a head doctor to check i'm not insane, this is a perfectly innocent picture, a child elevated near a empty swing, your composition has made that glinch that makes it look so sureal!! Well done!! And i loved the written text, it goes together very very strongly!!

"Beautiful work , Very strong . It looks like suicide"

 

I have to agree with Alon - it's a very disturbing image. I think the trailing shoe lace just adds to the drama and because the brain has started off on a macabre chain of thoughts, the swing itself takes on the form of a medieval instrument of torture.....

 

I haven't really got such a sick mind, have I???????????

 

Brilliant picture to spark off such a strong reaction! :)

 

Also thought "suicide" at first. Agree that the shoelace reinforces that notion. If you played with the title and named it "Swinging Girl" that would nearly seal the deal...

I love it. I did not think 'suicide'. I thought fun, a child playing....now that I have read the comments I can see why you would think 'suicide'. We all see things differently...

chaulk up another thought of suicide. The shoelace and lack of movement is what did it for me.

and my first thought was suicide. it's unusual picture on playground but wery strong and shoelace gives extra flavor. all in all 7/7.

:)

I, too, thought of suicide immediately. It is the lace and limpness of the body. No motion. No sense of a child swinging or getting ready to jump off. As far as titles go, I prefer none. Any title serves to narrow the viewer's reaction.

So creative :) I love it

Great photo, and I love the quote as well, very thought-provoking. I too saw a suicide but it was mainly because the child looks lifeless. When children hang from bars they still move...this child looks unmoving and, therefore, lifeless. I agree with the idea that the swing takes on the "persona" of a torture device.

If the swing is not being used, then you wonder why. It is the universally accepted image of suicide by hanging. There are 1000's of movies which portray the dangling feet as the image that greets the discoverer of a suicide 'victim'.

I'm not sure what the words bring to the party really. I just like to see photos on their own, else we will start to show images like this, supplemented with mournful music in the background.

Images are enough on their own really.

Sorry, not my cup of tea.

Yet another outstanding shot from the creative mind of John Mackay. It does justice to your impeccable portfolio.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. I really appreciate it. I recall as a youngster spending fun times hanging from my arms on playground equipment; my head lowered down pondering my dangling feet or alternatively hanging upside down from mylegs feeling the giddy rush of blood into my head and wondering if my eyes would pop out. ;>

Regretfully, I also recall a classmate who as we discovered at school assembly one morning had hung himself, albeit in a bus shelter at the age of thirteen. Something that to this day I have never accepted or understood--I don't think I ever will. I'm pleased that I managed to conceive an image that drew many of you into touching two very possible but opposite realities of life simultaneously.

Thanks once again.

Cheers...John.

Interesting.....makes me want to know more.

Awesome

Simple, powerful and thought-provoking.

 

Is my mind sick too?