f2.8 – Title Unknown (2016)

This is a fabulous image.

If one were inclined one could comment on the diffuse lighting (how the viewer reads a window beyond the right frame edge even though it remains unseen; the directionality of illumination is opposite the Dutch baroque tradition–right to left as opposed to left to right, and etc.), the soft focus situates the scene very much in the room that feels both charmingly lived in, a bit cluttered by the decor but it does not detract from the primary purpose of the image–the woman standing in such an evocative yet ambiguous pose (does she have a headache, is she sad?)

The use of space and illumination is reminiscent of one of my all-time favorite paintings, van Eyck’s Arnolfini Wedding Portrait. Except van Eyck favors a much deeper focus. (If an apples to apples comparison, I’d posit the insanely talented Paula Aparicio.)

The antlers and marlin on the wall evoke associations with Artemis.

I’m a little worried about posting this. The image maker is fairly adamant that no one should add or remove anything when reblogging.

I have mixed feelings about such an admonition. On the one hand, I understand. With all the DD/lg blogs adding self-promoting links on other folks work or worse swine who feel by virtue of the fact of having a phallus that their opinion about women and their bodies’ is enough to make most decent folks more than a little gun shy.

Alternately though, I vehemently disagree with such prohibitions. It smacks of a sense of control-freakishness that I think is actually detrimental to work. You make the work. You edit the work and before you put it out there you do as much as possible to inform the eventual context. But once it’s out there in the world, it’s no longer yours. Not in the intellectual property way–it still very much is in that fashion; but the image takes on a life of its own that frequently becomes just as interesting for what the creator meant as what’s misunderstood and misconstrued.

I’ve done my best to be respectful in flouting the prohibition because I think this image deserves to be celebrated–and unlike the tens of thousands of self-same reblogs as a statement of personal aesthetic, I do curate here and with that comes a certain standard of admission (proper attribution where possible in a consistent form and commentary to the best of my abilities.)

I hope no offense is taken by the creator. None was intended. I just wanted to feature this image with proper credit–I’d really like to credit the model too, however I couldn’t find that information anywhere.