Trash or treasure?

1. The image I chose to examine is from Brian Ulrich's "Thrift" collection. The image portrays American popstar Britney Spears. From just being a Britney fan, I know that this image inside the image is from her early career, around her "Hit Me Baby One More Time" era. It appears the photo was taken in a metal garage with wood boards nailed up all around . Scattered across the floor is rand debris, including a bathroom sink. The whole mood of the piece gives off this sense of the "American Wasteland."

 2. The shiny metal background of the garage brings The audiences attention to Britney Spears. The wood planks that are affixed on the shiny metal background also directs our attention towards the centerpiece, which is Britney. The debris on the ground keeps making our attention shift fr Britney back to the garbage and then back to Britney again. The color of the debris is mostly dull colors with a few pops of baby blue and bright pink. The image of Britney Spears is also oddly shaped, it isn't just rectangle or square shape but rather some awkward rectangle with a cut out on either side. This sense of abnormality makes us study the overview photo deeply because something so slight is just off.

 I think the artist, Brian Ulrich, chose to create this work because of the irony behind it. Placing America's sweetheart and pop sensation in a barren, blank room next to random trash is quite ironic. I also think that the trash is symbolic of Britney's past career. Up to when Britney shaved her head in 2007, her career was in shambles and her personal life wasn't so personal when the entire world knew every detail. The image of Britney pinned up during the hay day of her career in the early 2000's when everyone loved her. I'm also going to throw out another idea, online some people dramatize that Britney Spears shaved her head in 2007 for our sins. The way the image of Britney is hung up is very similar to the crucifixion of Jesus, who, "died for our sins." So there might be a connection between the two sacrificing for others sins.