Sally Mann Again...

[CarlRadford]

I know we have discussed the work of Sally Mann before but wanted peoples thoughts about this particular image and what captivates me about it:

http://www.art-forum.org/z_Mann/Ip/S...inias21988.htm

Its all about that finger on the leg - why on earth do I find this contact so powerful? It just illustrates the connection and tenderness!

[SuzanneR]

A lot of the ideas in her photographs seem to be about life and mortality. This one speaks to those ideas very succinctly. There's a connection between a child and a grandparent, but there's also a disconnection. One, the child, looking out of the frame, the other, the grandparent at the child, and their hands not touching, but still reaching to each other.

It's a powerful image, a large idea, and yet a very simply stated. One of her best, I think, thanks for picking it to discuss.

[Poco]

Originally Posted by CarlRadford

Its all about that finger on the leg - why on earth do I find this contact so powerful? It just illustrates the connection and tenderness!

For me, its power is in the casual trust it conveys. Without that finger one can assume a close connection between the two, but that forgotten finger really nails it.

It's a picture pretty rich in visual allegory -- the contrast of the arms, the articulated but fading face on the left vs the as yet unformed face on the right...

A great shot.