This provocative piece by Angela Strassheim, a former forensic photographer, serves as an excellent example of studium. The image is instantly evocative of Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, a cultural standard, but the industrial, consumerist atmosphere twists the classic theme into a biting social commentary.
Melanie Einzig's photo from 9/11 displays a remarkable use of punctum. The angrily smoking twin towers are a part of our cultural lexicon; a heartbreaking image, but one that immediately frames the photo (this element is likely more studium than punctum.) But our eyes soon dart to the UPS delivery man, who makes for a headspinning punctum. What could possibly be more mundane than a package being delivered? But its mundanity serves a purpose – it conjures up personal experiences, however average, which communicate just how shocking those events were. This recontexualization results in perhaps the finest image of that day.
-Roger Wieand
This 9/11 photograph really strikes me. There certainly seems to be a punctum here. Although, to me the punctum is not the mundane activities of the UPS man, but the unconcerned expression on his face. The man seems almost completely unaware of the tradgedy unfolding behind him.
ReplyDelete-Ashlee Dickson
the second photo is definitely worth thinking. it sort of reveals a statement about how trivial our life could be that even though something huge is going on, there is little we could do about it. As a non-American it is hard for me to relate the picture to a more nationalism degree but i do agree this is a strong picture.
ReplyDeletekaini