Janet Dodd

ENC 1102

January 22, 2013

 

Shock Factor

 

     French artist Marcel Duchamp said, “Unless a picture shocks, it is nothing.”  A number of the photographs at the gallery opening were shocking to view. Some pictures were in poor taste, made women appear to be victims, and were difficult to view. To the average person, photography is just pointing a camera and clicking to capture a specific moment in time or emotion, but to a photographer it is an expression of an experience or feeling of themselves. While viewing the photographs, feelings of fear, anger, and dismay erupted along with an uneasy emotional reaction. It was difficult to see exactly what some of the photographers were trying to express, however it is difficult to imagine it could be anything more than evil. Despite the wide variety of definite opinions about a few of the photographs, overall, it was an enjoyable experience.

 

     Fear, anger and sadness are just a few of the troubling emotions triggered by the photograph labeled “Not Such A Big Man Now” by Susan Tassin.  The picture has an apparently angry woman, holding a very large handgun and pointing it at the photographer, whom we are to assume, is the object of her anger. It can be concluded that, the woman if from a lower income family by the trailer in the background and the number of “trashy” items in the area around her.   Was the artist attempting to express the stereotypical, “trailer park trash” girl? Guns elicit a variety of responses from different people.  In light of recent media events, guns are viewed as dangerous and too easily obtainable.  The country is still grieving for the families in Newtown, Connecticut where just over a month ago, so many young children and teachers were violently killed at Sandy Hook Elementary school. A young man killed his mother, and then opened fire on the people at the school. There was also the tragic shooting in Aurora, Colorado.  A lone gunman set off tear gas in the building and the shot into the audience of the movie theater killing 12 people and injuring 58 others. At a time that the country is calling for changes in gun laws and begging for protection, this picture is in poor taste.  Many people say, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” but it is much easier for a gun toting person to kill, than an empty-handed person. The answer is unclear, however a change is necessary.

 

     “The Road is Hell” by Susan Tassin.  What can be said about this photograph?  This photograph definitely had the “shock” factor.  Disturbing on so many levels, this picture shows a woman with her hands bound behind her back, wearing very little clothes and apparently left for dead on a dirt road. We can only assume that she must have been assaulted in some way, then tied up and left. We all know that these types of things happen, however to snap a photo, put it on the wall and call it art is tasteless and vulgar, if nothing else.  Is the photograph depicting a personal experience? Is this the artist’s way of dealing with the incident?  Could this have happened to someone that the artist knows? Was it just something that just popped in the head of the photographer one day leaving her to say, “I have an idea for a photo”? We shall never know the answer to these questions, however, the artist did succeed in making viewers contemplate and wonder, why? 

 

     One of the most moving images in cinematography was the young girl in the red coat in the black and white film Schindler’s List.  In the movie, the audience is drawn to the little girl even though she is in a crowd of over a hundred other fleeing people.  The photograph called “Cowboy” by Jessica Roman uses the same technique.  The black and white photo is of a young boy sitting on a wood fence, covering his face with his cowboy hat; however his plaid shirt is in color.  While viewing the photograph, the attention is focused not on the background or the boy himself, who appears to be trying to hide away from the viewer, on the bright colors of the boy’s shirt.  This photo effectively captured the shyness or playfulness of the boy.  Although the picture had no ribbons awarded to it, it was, without a doubt, one of the better photos.

 

     In Marcel Duchamp correct? Is a picture really nothing unless it shocks the viewer?  I believe that a photograph should not only be an expression, but it should also be appealing to view. “Cowboy” by Jessica Roman draws the viewer’s attention and elicits a positive feeling.  Art is very ambiguous; however, I don’t feel that all pictures are indeed art. If the audience is so appalled by what they are viewing and decide to voice their opinion and thoughts against the work to others to dissuade them from viewing the work, what good is it to have taken the photograph in the first place?  Sometimes, a shocking photo is just that, a shocking photo.