Looking at this photo: Joel Sternfeld, Warren Avenue at 23rd Street, Detroit, Michigan, October 1993
The impact of this photograph to its' viewers is to look at the picture and read the capital black bold letters that form each word to make this sentence in the middle of the page and think to yourself: what could have gone wrong? What happened here? Why take this photo?! From my observations and therefore after my inferences, I have made a claim that this picture is giving advice from a time of a horrific event where possibily life(s) were taken and having an impact on a people, street, or even community.
The structure of the main building is off to the right side showing a piece of white wall and part of a tree. It's green branches. The picture on the white wall. The initial inference I made was that this was probably a site of a tragic situation/event. If there wasn’t a picture made on the wall of this building with this religious figure wearing red and in front of an orange, blue, and pink background, it would be a totally different picture. Everything in this picture is significant to it. The point of view of its' taker is right there in the photograph. It’s usual to see a roadside memorial signifying a horrific event happening there in its’ place. But taking a picture of one? This photograph is speaking about a story. Looking and thinking about the photographer’s point of view, I have come to believe that this certain spot on this street has a great significance. The environment and building has emotion from one event.
Taking a first glance at this picture and examining it I see it's in front of a deserted building, where there's no one in the photo. The bottom windows of what seem to be a two story building are filled with posters and signs. The posters/signs are ones with pictures of religious figures (Jesus) and that of a raised fist; some with quotes such as "DO THE RIGHT THING" and "MOM". Another detail I noticed right away was the "SOLD" on the door. There is a picture located under the first floor windows of a colored Jesus. On the sidewalk in front of the pale green building near the road is a roadside memorial with flower pieces and crosses. There's a tree in the left side of the photograph. Under the tree's branches I see a picture in the back with a saying of a prison sentence. Another obvious observation for everyone are the black letters of a sentence saying "WHEN YOU TAKE SOMEONES LIFE YOU FORFEIT YOUR OWN" right above the first floor of the building with hand prints around the word “OWN”.
I have been looking/observing/examining this picture for a while now. When looking at it, I feel like I’m standing right there on the other side of the street seeing the picture. It feels sad, yet I feel as though the people effected by whatever happened here have learned something from the event, or maybe trying to tell others to learn from it.
These are good observations; however,draw a few more direct inferences from your observations. You claim this is a site where a tragic event took place,and you are correct, but can you go deeper with this inference? What specific "advice" is being offered in the photo?
ReplyDeleteWatch out for descriptions like "colored" Jesus. Do you mean painted? "Colored" is an outdated and somewhat derogatory term when applied to race, so if you meant painted or drawn, make sure you specify.
Also, there are some confusing sentences and sentence fragments here. Make sure you proofread and edit carefully in the future.
25/30
VS