i know i've already made a lengthy post today but i just thought i'd record the fact that today, for the first time, a series of images actually brought a real, honest tear to my eye.
i have just finished my research paper on exploring family relations through photography. my research rather morbidly lead me to look at victorian post-mortem photography. the recently dead were photographed in a way that made them appear to be asleep and even posed with their families. all very strange indeed. today, it is fair to say, this would be considered taboo.
after the trauma of the research paper was over, i looked into it more for my own interest and found maeve berry's series 'incandescent', who deals with a more contemporary take on the idea of post-mortem. these images are taken in a cremetorium. the above image evoked such a strong sense of discomfort that it caused me to well-up. i don't think that's ever happened to me before with another photographer's work. its not even to say that i like the work or find it beautiful. it upsets me, but i found myself trying to recognise some part of the human form and when i did, i was shocked and slightly distraught. yet i put myself through it!? is baptism by fire too crude a turn of phrase to be used here? i think so. but i'm gonna use it anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment