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Image stories
Vignette I
Door creaks and she peeks inside.
Still there. And all is still, there.
She remembered the last time there was movement, actions, reactions, a longing for something other than touch and love lying on a mattress. When the fire hearth spurted out sparks and ashes she would move closer. The creased sheets whispered softly of the nights spent turning around, into each other. Creating a space that was theirs alone. Back when love was enough. Or was it?
The smoothed out lines on his face while he slept, no more furrows on the brow, no more logic. Just peace. Nothing piled up or heavy, everything soft. Their walls were always clean. Their minds were always involved. But their hearts never listened.
Away. Away from the warmth of the fire, the flickering shadows of trust on the walls, and the knowledge of each other in bed.
All is bright now. Bright.
Except for the emptiness that casts a reflection upon all things they touched.
Inspired by James Hughes photo - 'Mattresses' by Niamh Madden
Following critique of selected images by Catherine Comer
King & Shoe
The glimpse of a playing card inside the shoe. A very simple composition but extremely strong image with a subliminal message.
I felt an immediate emotional connection with this picture as I had taken many shots of the old shoes my father wore and felt that such a personal item can tell a life story. The shoe is moulded over time to fit only its owner, therefore almost carrying an imprint or cast of that person and allows their memory to live on.
I feel the wearer of this shoe was once ‘king of his castle’. The shoe itself has been worn to death, most likely its owner died before it was discarded, so it is unlikely he was a man of riches. So what were his valuables, perhaps his family, friends, good neighbours, good health, love, warmth, having enough to survive and being content with your lot.
Although I prefer to think of this type of king I must consider he could also have been a tyrannical king. A bully in his household, ruling his castle with an iron rod. Or perhaps the playing card in the shoe was an indication of the owner being a cheat, a liar, untrustworthy and tricked people all his life until he was exposed at the end when his shoe stood empty.
The image is in colour but feels monotone, sombre and respectful. It has an ‘art work’ feel to it and could be more likened to a painting than a photograph.
The viewpoint is directly overhead, which gives the viewer a godlike or a higher being feel. Looking down from above and making judgement on the owner.
The image has extreme shadows where certain lines of the shoe are lost in darkness. I feel this gives the image a regretful and sad feel almost as if the sharp detail of the memory of the wearer is being ever more diluted as time passes and the edges of his memory are becoming blurry and may eventually get lost in time. The shadow has a direction caused by the sun and the direction of this shadow will continually change as time passes, the shoe is almost acting like a sundial, recoding time but powerless to stop it.
I really like this photograph and enjoyed how such a simple composition awakened such a range of feelings and emotions and how it encouraged me to piece together a fictitious background story about its owner.
Hanging Bicycle
This is a picture of an old style ladies bicycle tied by twine to the rafters of a disused outhouse suspended in mid-air. Sunlight streams through a low window.
This image sends forth so many messages I find them tumbling over each other in an effort to get recorded.
Initially I get the sense of something ‘hanging’ in the balance. Like the old way of life. The bicycle being symbol of the past, when life was simpler and needs was less. The pace of life was slower. But this way of life is now hanging on by thread. New, better and faster alternatives are changing every aspect of our lives, how we travel, how we work and how we live. Values are shifting and we risk losing focus on what is actually important in our lives rather than what we perceive to be important. The old way of life is now threatening to collapse and fall like the bicycle and once it does it will disintegrate leaving nothing but dusty memories.
Or perhaps someone does want to hold onto these old values, an effort has been made to protect the bicycle. It has been lifted off the ground. It has been held up and away from things that could damage or break it. The shed is virtually empty everything else has been cast out but a deliberate decision has been made to leave the bicycle there. Perhaps to someone this bicycle is a link to the past, its rider probably too old to cycle or even maybe dead but the need to retain their memory is important to them.
I look again and think is the hanging bicycle representing an angel-like image. The woman who owned it is now passed and her memory hangs protected from time and its ruthless destruction. Almost as if it were embalmed, preserved forever. Her freedom of movement is no longer inhibited by wheels on the ground now she can fly. She is being raised from the earth like a spirit leaving the body. I could liken it to a religious symbolism of the ascension into heaven.
Or perhaps on a more sinister note the owner was unhappy, she felt tethered and trapped on this earth. She had no freedom, no hope of escape, she was tied. Perhaps tied into an unhappy marriage, a life of enforced solitude, of lost love, of tyranny or of broken dreams and aspirations.
The viewpoint makes the viewer feel like they are looking at the scene from a dark corner perhaps. The bicycle seems to be almost straining to get towards the light but is being held back. The light from the window is so new and fresh and bright with glimpses of green growth evident. Yet inside the shed there are dark corners, dusty floors, cage like wire, tightly knotted ropes. Holding on tight to the past. Not letting go.
Again I love this image. Every time I look at it a new thought or aspect springs to mind and as I read back over what I have written I can sense the strong thread of ‘holding on’ whether it be for the right or wrong reasons.
Bicycle Portglenone
In contrast to ‘Hanging bicycle’ this bicycle belonged to a man. It is supported by a wall, in an upright position. There is light coming in from the left and the ground is covered by untended growth.
This image again is simple and uncluttered but emanating from it is a strong sense of a pull or dual. Between right and left, darkness and light, good and evil, past and present. The bicycle is in the middle, being pulled in both directions.
I feel the bicycle represents a dying man. He is getting a sense of being pulled towards the light. The light source is higher than the bicycle, drawing the spirit of the man up and out of the picture. The briars growing up through the spokes of the wheel are all pointing to the light source too almost willing the spirit in that direction. However on balance the briars are also rooted to the ground and are growing up through the spokes on the bicycle and will hamper any attempt to escape. The right of the picture is predominantly dark and whatever is inside the doorway is not recognisable. The back wheel appears sunken into the earth as if it is being pulled downwards and threatens to suck the spirit into oblivion.
Who will win, the image is so balanced its impossible to decide, He is being held here in this half-life, choices to be made, sins to be forgiven, wrongs to reconciled, deals to be made.
The image has a predominantly green hue which is not distracting to the main subject. The lighting in this shot is so atmospheric, the composition is simple, and the viewer is looking straight on and at eyelevel. It makes me feel part of the scene but yet I cannot affect the situation going on.
I love this picture and feel it works so well with the female bicycle picture, opening up a whole new debate on male/ female position and sense of worth in the past but I feel that issue would deserve a whole other essay on its own.
Supper Plate
Two knives resting on plate. Sitting on an old bench or table with the corner of a religious leaflet evident from beneath the plate.
At first I think this image resembles a clock face, where the hands of time have stopped. However the food residue on the knives has rotted and appears to be eroding the metal of the knife blade, therefore time is winning, and it cannot be stopped.
The supper plate rests on a religious leaflet or prayer book, the word Jesus is evident. It could be likened to the ‘last supper’ with all the connotations that brings up, death imminent, sense of ending, having to make your peace and finish your tasks before meeting your maker. Was this someone’s last supper? The plate has been cleared of food, knives are laid deliberately, and prayers have been said…the time has come.
The lighting this image is gentle and diffused. It is perfectly exposed. Yet it doesn’t feel cold but instead calm and restful, a sense that everything has been accomplished and finished. The little detail on the plate is so simple and hand done. It perhaps is indicative of its owner, simple, honest, warm, friendly and welcoming.
Again in this shot the viewpoint is overhead giving a sense of looking down from above on the past.
This again is another powerful image, time appears to have stopped. As when death stops life. However rot is creeping in from all sides, the black indescribable material coming in from the top of the image, the table surface is cracked, flaking and disappearing, the place is slowly being covered by a layer of dust and debris, the metal on the knife is eroding as if being attacked by a tumour like growth. Time only appears to have stopped, but behind everything time waits for no man. So be ready!
by Catherine Comer
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