Contemporary Image

This is a picture of survivors of the concentration camp at Buchenwald taken by Margaret Bourke White. Margaret Bourke White was the first woman photojournalist for Life magazine and the first woman war correspondent. She traveled around the world while World War II was taking place. In 1945 she ended up at Buchenwald with General George S. Patton. Buchenwald was one of the first concentration camps to be created in Germany and would be the place where around fifty six thousand out of two hundred and thirty eight thousand people who entered the camp would die.

I chose this picture because the horrors that it not only depicts but infers. While most people in America would naturally think of the Holocaust as a horrible event, I have a personal connection to it. Because of that connection, the looks of these people  touch me a lot. They're scared, angry, desperate and curious. Through this picture, I get a small glimpse of what it must have been like to be in their situation and from that, have more compassion for those who went through it. Perhaps this is the connection to God. Not only is the picture showing those who are mostly likely from His chosen people, it helps me to better understand God's love and compassion for all people. 

Historical Image of God

This is a painting entitled "Portrait of Christ's Head" by the Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn. It belongs to the historical period of Bourgeois Baroque, and it was painted from 1650 to 1652. This is shortly after the Protestant Reformation ended, in 1648. I think the painting's close proximity to the Reformation is significant. For instance this version of Jesus is a lot simpler and less grand than previous portraits of Him. I think this speaks to the Protestant tendency to dull down the former Catholic grandness of images.

I think I choose this piece because of it's great show of emotion, which is one thing Rembrandt is famous for. In this picture I can easily see and feel the love and compassion that Christ is showing. I think I also like it because of it's simplicity. It's not too crowded and busy. It simply shows what it wishes to, which I think heightens the emotions He is expressing. Mostly I like it because when I look at it, it's almost as if that love and compassion is being expressed directly to me.

Peer Review of Body Image

The viewer sees a photo of a woman in a black tank top holding a red rose. She sits in front of a metallic grey leather background. She wears a cross necklace and her face is half made up.
Her steely gaze contrast with the clown-like quality of her facial decor- she demands to be taken seriously. She appears to be criticizing what society demands of her, which is beauty in the eyes of the majority. She desires to change how the majority view beauty.
The red rose begs the question- did someone give her the rose? Is she going to give the rose to someone? The black shirt and hair and their contrast with the bright red rose inspire a gothic sense of drama and confrontation.
The picture reminds the viewer of a gothic piece of a woman confronting her beholder, but also shows the body in 2011- the cross necklace symbolizing the Christian's attempt at life in a fallen world without falling into its traps.

What is the body in 2011?

First, I want to compare my picture to the Aristocratic Baroque style, specifically the painting by Peter Paul Reubens entitled "Venus at a Mirror". Both of the images show an idealized and dramatized vision of a woman's body, as is common with this style. Also,  the subjects both have very sad expressions on their faces, like they are getting no pleasure from what they see. However, my picture also differs from "Venus at the Mirror". The main difference is the fact that while the Baroque style tried to idolize the ideal human body, my picture points out the opposite of this ideal, the reality.

Next, I would like to talk about what my picture symbolizes. When we received this assignment my first thought was of the reality of horrible self-image and the pursuit of a fake ideal in our society. By this I mean the fact that from very early on in our lives we are inundated with images that tell us we do not measure up to the standard of beauty that is expected of us. So we strive to meet that standard and when we fail, we learn to hate ourselves. And yet, we still try. Try to look and be perfect. We try to become like the models and actors we see, all the while knowing we can't because they aren't real, but still we try. We hide behind our perfect masks, hoping no one will notice the flaws beneath the surface. It's an endless cycle of pretending and hating. This picture symbolizes all those people who have ever pretended to be perfect, hiding the flawed but beautiful person beneath.

Religious Thoughts

When I thought of pictures that have to do with my religion the following two come to mind...

This is a picture by Thomas Kinkade. It's entitled "Prince of Peace". When I was younger I really enjoyed this picture. It's not clear and crisp, and yet, I think it depicts Christ's sorrow on the cross very well. 

This picture was taken by my mom when we visited Israel during my junior year. It's a picture of the inside of the Garden Tomb, one of the possible spots of Jesus tomb. 

Together I think they show two very important parts of Christianity: the cross and the resurrection. 

Footprints in the snow