#1: This is the Tokaido, a quiet and expansive high way in Japan. We're told that the highway is rarely flanked by anything more then small cottage or town. More interesting, however, is mention of how no conventional trade is done via the Tokaido. One would typically look at this sweeping road and instantly assume that carriages passed over it daily. There are, as we're told, no carriages in Japan. Such information sets a much more humble, settled tone for this picture.
What's really being excluded here is technology. If carriages weren't being utilized then surely local trade was. Something interesting about this shot in particular is the fallen tree over the road. It resembles one of those wooden thresholds commonly associated with spirituality and prayer. This lack of tech and spiritual tone grant this picture a very organic and "Japan in the good-ol' days" kind of feel.
#2: "Honey, I heard the microwave go off, get the Stoffer's. Wheel of Fortune is almost on." *Ahem* Sorry, that was the typical American sitting down to dinner. Let's begin with some trivia: Do you you see an orgy of colors distracting all these beautiful faces? Nope. How about a large dinner table where everyone sits ten feet apart? Nay, sir. In fact, it looks like they pulled out their sock drawer and flipped it upside down - man is that a small dinner... surface?
The takeaway here is community and presentation. Four women, all delicately dressed, enjoying a snack a a close proximity. Their hair is also noteworthy, such high fashion tuning suggests that easting together is an event rather then just a routine step. The instruments, as well, say that people are really enjoying themselves, that's the point. Something that we do everyday without a second thought is rendered something aesthetically profound and ostentatious. But in good way, don't worry, ladies.
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hey nice job describing the road picture, I thought the part about the falling tree was pretty cool. I also liked how you described the positioning and coloring (or lack there of) in the dinner scene. However, I was wondering if you had any thoughts on the facial expressions (of lack there of) of the women and their individual "gazes"?
ReplyDeleteI like the road one and how you used the temple reference, but in the dinner scene I believe that it was all staged with actresses because of there being carpet. Good job.
ReplyDeleteI like your comparison of the fallen wood to wooden thresholds. Reading your analysis, I thought that the tree can be seen as a Torii in shrine.
ReplyDeleteIn the second image, I got unnatural impression, because they are in studio. I think the photographer tried to organize Japanese things to show its tradition effectively.
I really liked how you included the gateway connotation with the road in your first analysis; it really does give it that extra sense of mystery and ancientness (Is that a word? Haha). Also, I like how you brought up the carriage idea, westerns definitely would have connoted that while the Japanese would not.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your second analysis as well, there is definitely a feeling of refinement.