"A Boy on his Bike, 1989"
Dawoud Bey
Street Portraits
1.) In this photo, there is a young man posing on his bike while a young girl standing behind him with pieces of paper in her hands, both of them standing on a sidewalk. The photo is in black in white with the young black man in the foreground while the young girl is in the far right corner. The man is dressed in a white t-shirt with a large graphic design on its front with jean pants on. There are houses in the background lining the sidewalk were both of the subjects are standing. The houses seem to be brick.
2.) In the photo, the houses and the sidewalk create leading lines which helps focus the attention on the young man on the bicycle. He is the largest subject in the photo and is also the most clearly focused subject. He looks very internally hurt which is expressed through his facial positioning and his eyes. Beneath his eyes their is a deep pain that you can see gnawing away at him. I think all of these aspects the photo had and they way Bey decided on shooting it contributed to the overall expression on the boys internal pain.
3.) I think Bey choose to shoot this portrait of the boy on his bicycle because the image conveys a strong sense of conflict and woe. The young man is exerting both of these qualities by his facial expression. This could be attributed to racial conflict since the young man is black, however i didn't come to that conclusion when i saw it. To me, this portrait was taken because it exerts such a quinine feeling of conflict of woe.
-Alex Cumming
Monday, March 5, 2012
Smile
http://www.dawoudbey.net/
In this photo I see an older man working at a diner. He is wearing an apron and is smiling at the camera. The photo is in black and white. I can see the creases in his face all of the wrinkles show his age. There is a woman sitting down at the table to older man is wiping. She has a cigarette in hand wears a sun hat and does not face the camera. Behind both of these people is another man who wears glasses but is in the dark so we can't see any of his features besides his glasses. The diner these three people seem to be in is not the cleanest looking or the nicest.
I like the fact that the artist shot this picture in black and white film. Black and white tend (for me at least) to bring out the reality in a scene in a film or a photograph. Because its not the beautiful colors we're looking at anymore but what is actually going on. I just get more emotion out of black and white film.
In this photo the older man, he is ok with his job because he is happy with it. Maybe he is the owner, or a chief or just a bus boy either way he is happy and really that's all that matter in life. This happy older man is the key to this photo. He looks to be in a rusty old diner, but his smile lights up the room. One can relate this to the question do we make our environment. In this case, sure the diner is not appealing to ones eye, but the good energy this one man brings to the diner makes it look like a nice place to eat.
This is a great photo, because of the smile.
Youth Community of Chicago
Dawoud Bey Photographs
Character Project
Mike, Chicago
In this photo there is a young caucasian man hugging a skate board in his arms. He is wearing a light blue rubber band on his left wrist and earrings on both ears. He is also wearing a white t-shirt under his purple and turquoise plaid button up. His eyes are as blue as the rubber band on his wrist. The hair on his head is sun kissed blonde and the hair on his face is white. His right forearm has a tattoo that is unclear because of the way he is hugging the board.
This man is standing in front of a concrete white wall.
The board design has a cloud on one end and a yellow hand reaching up on the other.
This is one photo out of the artist Character Project. This project is of different people in Chicago. The one photo I chose is Mike. All of the photos are taken with a different person/character in front of the same background, white concrete wall. No person in this Character Project are the same. Each are very unique in they're own way.
I believe the background was chosen to give a simple/plan light to the colorful study. (the study being the character, the person in the photograph)
Dawoud Bey is known for his color portraits of adolescents.
I feel that he was showing the viewer the diversity of the youth in Chicago.
Bey has said, “My interest in young people has to do with the fact that they are the arbiters of style in the community; their appearance speaks most strongly of how a community of people defines themselves at a particular historical moment.”
I enjoyed looking at all the photos as a whole. I believe they are attended to be this way. I thought his photos were a great depiction showing the youth community of Chicago.
Character Project
Mike, Chicago
In this photo there is a young caucasian man hugging a skate board in his arms. He is wearing a light blue rubber band on his left wrist and earrings on both ears. He is also wearing a white t-shirt under his purple and turquoise plaid button up. His eyes are as blue as the rubber band on his wrist. The hair on his head is sun kissed blonde and the hair on his face is white. His right forearm has a tattoo that is unclear because of the way he is hugging the board.
This man is standing in front of a concrete white wall.
The board design has a cloud on one end and a yellow hand reaching up on the other.
This is one photo out of the artist Character Project. This project is of different people in Chicago. The one photo I chose is Mike. All of the photos are taken with a different person/character in front of the same background, white concrete wall. No person in this Character Project are the same. Each are very unique in they're own way.
I believe the background was chosen to give a simple/plan light to the colorful study. (the study being the character, the person in the photograph)
Dawoud Bey is known for his color portraits of adolescents.
I feel that he was showing the viewer the diversity of the youth in Chicago.
Bey has said, “My interest in young people has to do with the fact that they are the arbiters of style in the community; their appearance speaks most strongly of how a community of people defines themselves at a particular historical moment.”
I enjoyed looking at all the photos as a whole. I believe they are attended to be this way. I thought his photos were a great depiction showing the youth community of Chicago.
Dawould Bey photooo
I chose a photograph under "character projects" captioned "Aoife, Chicago."
1.) Describe: The subject is a girl probably in her early 20s. She's bleach blonde with a short, neat bowl-ish haircut. She's wearing a red polo shirt with all the buttons buttoned. She's standing in front of a biege wall with a couple of sparse black marks. She's seemingly pale and has dark, shaped eyebrows and green made up eyes. She's got a funny expression on her face; as if she's about to smile, but her eyes reveal that she's kind of amused and a no-nonsense kind of person. She's stylish.
2.) Analyze: The artist makes everything surrounding that bright red shirt toned down. Everything around it is biege, or blonde, or tan, or off-white, or black, or minimalistic, like two black circles at the end of the shirt. It makes the shirt pop. Also because she's pale and wearing eyeliner with bleached hair her eyes pop out more. Also it's a very geometric photograph. There are lines everywhere; across her forehead, around her arms. Everything seems definitive and bold.
3.) Interpret: Well this photo was a part of a series of photographs called "character projects" so they all are character portraits of the essence of who each person is. All the photos are very candid and look like an accurate reflection of who they are. This photo in particular is bold, it's descriptive from the facial expression and way the girl is standing. She's giving off a warm look but at the same time looks like someone to fear and admire. She looks like she could've been misjudged; a lot of the characters do. I think the artists intent was to create beauty in each of the photographs by capturing their true personalities in their facial expressions. All of their faces are very truthful! He's telling us a lot about the people through the way they are standing and their faces. The girl in the red shirt is standing with her elbows crossed and one hand on her neck, as if she's covering something up or a little timid. I think the artist is making a point about how we often misjudge people based on appearance and how inaccurate our initial perceptions are. With another project he did, "class pictures" all of the artist statements from the students and their stories are not at all what I would've guessed from looking at them. We have to remember each person is walking around with insecurities, with a story that we don't know just by looking at them.
4.)Yes it's good, it's good because it shows her in her truest form, and the use of simplicity gives it more emphasis.
1.) Describe: The subject is a girl probably in her early 20s. She's bleach blonde with a short, neat bowl-ish haircut. She's wearing a red polo shirt with all the buttons buttoned. She's standing in front of a biege wall with a couple of sparse black marks. She's seemingly pale and has dark, shaped eyebrows and green made up eyes. She's got a funny expression on her face; as if she's about to smile, but her eyes reveal that she's kind of amused and a no-nonsense kind of person. She's stylish.
2.) Analyze: The artist makes everything surrounding that bright red shirt toned down. Everything around it is biege, or blonde, or tan, or off-white, or black, or minimalistic, like two black circles at the end of the shirt. It makes the shirt pop. Also because she's pale and wearing eyeliner with bleached hair her eyes pop out more. Also it's a very geometric photograph. There are lines everywhere; across her forehead, around her arms. Everything seems definitive and bold.
3.) Interpret: Well this photo was a part of a series of photographs called "character projects" so they all are character portraits of the essence of who each person is. All the photos are very candid and look like an accurate reflection of who they are. This photo in particular is bold, it's descriptive from the facial expression and way the girl is standing. She's giving off a warm look but at the same time looks like someone to fear and admire. She looks like she could've been misjudged; a lot of the characters do. I think the artists intent was to create beauty in each of the photographs by capturing their true personalities in their facial expressions. All of their faces are very truthful! He's telling us a lot about the people through the way they are standing and their faces. The girl in the red shirt is standing with her elbows crossed and one hand on her neck, as if she's covering something up or a little timid. I think the artist is making a point about how we often misjudge people based on appearance and how inaccurate our initial perceptions are. With another project he did, "class pictures" all of the artist statements from the students and their stories are not at all what I would've guessed from looking at them. We have to remember each person is walking around with insecurities, with a story that we don't know just by looking at them.
4.)Yes it's good, it's good because it shows her in her truest form, and the use of simplicity gives it more emphasis.
in a stoop
The image i chose to discuss is A Girl and a Boy on A Stoop .The photo is from 1989.
The photo is black and white. The scene is a sidewalk in front of a brick building, There are two people on the stoop in front of the brick building. To the left sits a little boy with a serious look. In the foreground to the right, a girl leans back on the stoop. She also has a serious look, and boyish clothes. Her hair is up and back, and she appears to be a bit tense. The stoop they're in looks cracked and aged. The background consists of cars, trees, and more stoops.
The artist's technique is effective in this picture because of his skill to blur the background and focus on the subject's of the piece. It appears that only the stoop and the people are focused, and the background becomes almost artificial. There are good contrasts that cast deep shadows on the boy and girl's faces and clothes. the horizontal lines in the girl's top create a better sense of movement The photographer also does a good job managing his space considering he is using two subjects. Sometimes when photographers or any artist defy the rule of odds the composition becomes boring and symmetrical, but Bey does good work in keeping depth and asymmetry.
Considering that the artist included this photo in "street portraits" suggests that the subjects live in a poverty-stricken area or the dangerous "streets". Besides the serious looks and the stoop's condition, there aren't many direct suggestions that they might live in poverty. Since the girl's clothes are baggy and her exposed face is somber she appears to look older than she might really be. She also appears unhappy. The boy is most likely her little brother, since the age difference is huge. He also shares the serious glares that his sister does, but with a bit more worry. In my opinion there is a suggestion here that this girl is the primary caretaker of this child, because they are alone. But overall I think the point of this photo is that the subjects are on the street and not happy about it.
I think the photo is a good one. The artist uses a good composition and good movement. He uses black and white to emphasize the seriousness of the faces, and the photo in general. The exact meaning of the photo isn't direct, which is okay because it makes it more interesting for the viewer.
The photo is black and white. The scene is a sidewalk in front of a brick building, There are two people on the stoop in front of the brick building. To the left sits a little boy with a serious look. In the foreground to the right, a girl leans back on the stoop. She also has a serious look, and boyish clothes. Her hair is up and back, and she appears to be a bit tense. The stoop they're in looks cracked and aged. The background consists of cars, trees, and more stoops.
The artist's technique is effective in this picture because of his skill to blur the background and focus on the subject's of the piece. It appears that only the stoop and the people are focused, and the background becomes almost artificial. There are good contrasts that cast deep shadows on the boy and girl's faces and clothes. the horizontal lines in the girl's top create a better sense of movement The photographer also does a good job managing his space considering he is using two subjects. Sometimes when photographers or any artist defy the rule of odds the composition becomes boring and symmetrical, but Bey does good work in keeping depth and asymmetry.
Considering that the artist included this photo in "street portraits" suggests that the subjects live in a poverty-stricken area or the dangerous "streets". Besides the serious looks and the stoop's condition, there aren't many direct suggestions that they might live in poverty. Since the girl's clothes are baggy and her exposed face is somber she appears to look older than she might really be. She also appears unhappy. The boy is most likely her little brother, since the age difference is huge. He also shares the serious glares that his sister does, but with a bit more worry. In my opinion there is a suggestion here that this girl is the primary caretaker of this child, because they are alone. But overall I think the point of this photo is that the subjects are on the street and not happy about it.
I think the photo is a good one. The artist uses a good composition and good movement. He uses black and white to emphasize the seriousness of the faces, and the photo in general. The exact meaning of the photo isn't direct, which is okay because it makes it more interesting for the viewer.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
“A Woman at The Parade.”
1.) I chose the picture titled, “A Woman at The Parade.” This is a photograph taken in black and white, I see an African American woman wearing a white jacket, grey top, necklace and her hair is dark and short and is nicely put together. She is standing behind a sign which states, “do not cross,” and behind her you can see an old building with a European style in it’s architecture in it’s large pillars and doorways. The buildings behind her seem to have graffiti on them.
2.) In analyzing the image I noticed that within this photo actually being in black and white it displays both the light and dark aspects (both good and bad) within her society and community.
3.) I feel the artist chose this photograph because he wanted to express to his viewers different lifestyles and living conditions. I felt that the artist wanted to display how not every community isn’t always going to be like the one you may have grown up in, or maybe someone has grown up in a community similar to the one displayed in this photograph who is viewing this piece of work and can relate to it.
4.) I do feel that this is a good piece of art, it is a dark photo displaying different types of community. Showing how a community that was once clean and beautiful within it’s architecture and how over time communities can change and develop into something different and maybe even abused.
Broken
1.
In the photograph titled “A Young Woman Between Carrolburg Place and Half Street”, I see an
African American woman who appears to be between the ages of 15-17 standing in
a deserted alleyway. She’s wearing a rib knit tank dress with no bra and a sort
of sandal shoe. Behind her is a large tree, to her right is a broken down chain
link fence and to her left, there is a very tall wood plank fence.
2.
By including the poverty stricken background in
this image it gives us the tools the audience needs in order to figure out who
the female in the picture is. If she was in front of a giant mansion we would
only assume that she lived there and that was her house, but since she is in
front of a dilapidated surrounding, we can only assume that this is her
community and environment. What she’s wearing and how she presents herself are
also other indicators of who this woman is. The story behind why she isn’t wearing
a bra might simply be the fact that she can’t afford one or that she has to choose
between undergarments or actual clothing, which in the end actual clothing that
you can wear in public becomes more important. The cobblestone ground that she
is standing on also gives us the sense that where she is from is not a new
place but is quite old, which adds to that lower middle class aura around this
photo.
3.
From what I can see, Dewoud Bey, centers his
work on the African American culture and people. Each picture addressing a
different issue or concern relating back to community. This work in particular
is to display how poverty has affected the girl in the pictures life.
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