Discuss a Mary Ellen Mark photograph

[jp80874]

"I'm not going to post the backround information on this, as I would be interested in everyone's personal interpretation of the scene. More of her work can be found at www.maryellenmark.com or www.art-dept.com/artists/mark.

Thanks again to Jim for starting this idea!
__________________
-Chris"

Chis,

Being one of those landscape and urban waste photo types I find the emotions relatively new and very interesting. Now that many have expressed their views and I have looked at your links, would you be so kind as to add the backround information on this specific photo?

Thanks,

John Powers

[catem]

I do think this photograph can stand on its own, without necessarily knowing the context and background (though this can probably enrich it). The expression in the childrens' faces and body postures, and their relationship to one another, seem timeless to me, and could be expressed by children in many different circumstances, countries, times; certainly a sense of innocence lost, of some kind of hurt endured. The mask adds another dimension, a potent symbol, but you don't need to know about or think about how masks have been used by photographers/artists, there is the theme of comedy/tragedy, the depiction of their enforced public role, the hidden reality beneath the surface - all that comes across. I think it's very powerful.
Cate

[catem]

p.s. the photo for discussion (which I saw yesterday) seems to have disappeared from the inital post - or is it me ??

[lee]

HI star it is still here for me so it must be you.



lee\c

ps: very good comments

l\c

[catem]

HI star it is still here for me so it must be you.



lee\c

ps: very good comments

l\c

Thanks Lee - for both comments. It's back for me too, so it must have been a problem with my server...
Cate

[Alex Hawley]

You should check her out, Alex. You'll find that she is impeccable.

I don't like my emotions being jerked around, such as intended by those sappy (video) adds for some children's charity, showing snot-nosed, unkempt and unclean, pot-bellied urchins with tears running down their cheeks ("for only a dollar-a-day you can feed this child and send her to Harvard!" Or better yet, to Congress?).
I do believe this image because I happen to know about Mary Ellen Mark. Otherwise, it could just be another shill.

Like I said in the beginning, its an excellent photo. I'll take Bill Mitchell's word on the photographer's credibility.