If one cannot see, is one truly blind? That is a question that many viewers may
begin to ponder on when viewing the image of Paul Strand’s, Blind, 1916.* Strand’s ultimate goal
during this period was to capture individuals photo without them being aware of
the act at hand. This is ironic in the image of this blind woman. Centered in
the image you will find a woman. She does not seem elderly, nor does her facial
features suggest that she is young. Immediately the viewer’s eye drifts towards
the sign titled “Blind”. The sign is so defined and prominent that it feels as
if the sign is more of a target for him to shoot his weapon. In this case his
weapon is his camera. Furthermore the way the woman’s eyes rest on her face is
another clue eluding toward the fact that she is incapable of seeing. But how
does this relate to Strand’s goal of taking a photograph without someone
knowing if that person does not have the capability of seeing? One may suggest
that the woman was wrongly labeled or that she can partially see. This would
fit into the challenge because if she can somewhat see then she can make out
the existence of the photographer, which in turn would allow her to remain the
same or change depending upon her attitude towards getting her photograph
taken. “The photograph, therefore, prompts
a series of provocative parallels
between the subject and the street photographer observing her. Both Strand and
the woman are in public seeking contact with others in ways that those others
might find uncomfortable…” **
* Tompkins, Calvin. Paul Strand: Sixty years of photographs: excerpts from correspondence,
interviews, and other documents. Millerton, N.Y.: Aperture, 1975.
** Whalan, Mark. “ The Majesty of the
Movement: Sociality and Privacy in the Street Photography of Paul Strand.” American Art, 25 (Summer 2011): 34-55.
 |
| Photo Credit: http://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/226642/paul-strand-photograph-new-york-american-negative-1916-print-june-1917/ |
No comments:
Post a Comment