Spring Landfall

This image by Tom Chambers is called "Spring Landfall". The juxtaposition in this image, being the formal fashion in a natural earth setting, creates a sense of surrealism and lucid dreaming. Chambers was intrigued throughout this body of work "Rite of Passage", by the way you can place a woman formally dressed in a busy city street and they will look superior and of a higher class, yet when placed in natures land, she flaunts vulnerability and fear. This images almost gives the feeling of fear in a subtle way, the fear of loosing reality or maybe being trapped. The girl in the boat is blindfolded which enhances the idea of vulnerability and the way she is paddling the boat on land is creating this feeling of desperation and imprisonment. She cannot paddle away but she is trying anyway. As this image creates a melancholy feeling the entire piece is quite calming and peaceful. Almost as if herself and her sub-consious peace and connection with nature is what she is paddling away from. The colours in this image are all very soft and earthy, surrounded by organic line and natural light. This creates a close connection between the viewer and the model in the photo, the mood created is one like despair and longing. When I look at this picture long enough i begin to feel obligated to feel sympathy for this girl, blinded by herself. This image reminds me of children when they use their imagination to create games. They are seeing the same as what you are seeing but in the mind they are seeing a whole other world. The movie Toystory presents this idea.

The Interpretation of Tracey Pennisi (Mum)

When I first look at this photo I see a very vulnerable young girl trying to get out of a situation that is very unfamiliar to her and feeling like she isn’t going to make it. I feel like the blindfold has a lot to do with her not being able to clearly see her future and is not sure what it might hold for her. She is trying to row away from whatever she cant see but doesn’t seem to be getting anywhere fast. I feel like the girl in the formal dress doesn’t really belong in the woodlands but maybe this is a symbol of how uncomfortable she feels in her normal surroundings and just wants to get out. Maybe a cry for help to try to understand why she is put into these awkward situations that she cant seem to handle very well. The pastel colourings and the boat being full of flowers, protecting her, mean to me that she is very innocent and naive and feels like she has been unfairly judged now and for her previous teenage actions. The birds above her, that she can hear but not see, to me, represent authority figures, maybe parents or teachers, trying to persuade her decisions. The grasslands that she is stuck in to me represent a rough and ready world that she is not ready for yet, or thinks going into it is going to be the biggest challenge of all. Overall, because the girl in the boat is the main part of the photo, I think she will eventually overcome her fears over time.

The Interpretation of Ana Ward

The boat images poses an interesting juxtaposition: so out of place, rowing blindly through a field. i get this feeling of alienation and confusion (who wouldnt be, i guess?) the storm, as bonnie mentioned, i think really captures this juxtaposition. it looks like the kind of sky you see over the water - and the seagulls add to this. i think it's about blindly searching for something when youre looking in the wrong place to start with.