 |
| source |
This photography piece is by Wing Young Huie. It is a visual representation of the phrase 'Everyone has a cross to bare'. The photo does not have a location specified. Huie did not tell the audience where he took the photo. But he did take the photo in 2018 and published it to his website.When you first look at the photograph you see a man holding a cross and walking. He seems to be in a rural setting based on the lack of houses and buildings. The photo is also blurry which was done intentionally by Huie. The photo is not focusing on any one person or setting.
When looking at the photo more in depth there is a religious meaning behind the man. The Bible calls for everyone to pick up his/her cross and carry it. That is the one way into Heaven. The cross for Christians symbolizes the sins in peoples' lives, and carrying it shows we acknowledge and remember how people in the past literally carried the crosses they would die on. This photo shows how all people will have a cross to bare no matter what type of person you are such as gender, social status, etc.
In both the photograph and 'The Handmaids Tale' there is a concept of "othering." Having the man carry a large cross shows he has many sins which singles him out of the group. The photo also has only one person in the frame and that is to further separate him from the group. In 'The Handmaids Tale' Offred is made an other by her outfit.What she wears creates a barrier between her and the other women in Gilead. In Huie's photo it shows a barrier that is typically unseen. Carrying a cross is usually an inward journey. In 'The Handmaids Tale' all the barriers between the women can be physically seen. Unlike the photo the barriers in Gilead will always be out in the open and cannot be hidden. Though similarly both barriers are religious.
For more information about Huie's artwork go here.
Hey Sarah!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your post- I love that you chose this image; I don't think I've had anyone choose it so far. I would love to see a bit more visual analysis of the photograph, though was you have is insightful. See further comments below from the blog post rubric:
- Postings provide comprehensive insight, understanding, and reflective thought about the topic (4)
- Postings present a specific viewpoint that is substantiated by supporting examples (3)
- Postings are generally well written with some attempts made to stimulate dialogue and commentary (3)
- Postings are written in a style that is generally appropriate for the intended audience and an attempt is made to use a consistent voice (3)
- Postings reflect a bit of the author’s personality through word choices that attempt to bring the topic to life (3)
- All images, media and text created by others display appropriate copyright permissions and accurate citations (4)
- Written responses are largely free of grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors. The style of writing generally facilitates communication (3)
23/28