Sarah Weber- October 28

www.erinjanenelson.com

This color photograph has a relationship with painting, abuse and the coloration of bruises. The colors inside of this photograph become as important as the rest of the missing form. We, as viewers, are given a limited pallet to observe and draw conclusions from. The darker colors in the right bottom corner of the portrait are reminiscent of what true shadows would be on the human form if in fact the light source is stemming from the top upper left. The paint adds this level of texture making this piece look more like an object or a painting than a photograph except that the duplication of it is a photograph. The black eye reminds me of Nan Goldin's self portrait in which she also has a black eye. The use of the paint covering the rest of the figure feels like a mask. People often hide their emotions and issues behind makeup, clothes, color, false smiles, etc. I think the paint functions the same way. An exterior bruise like a black eye is not something one can hide easily and the rest of the "mask" is chipped away letting viewers see in. An interior perhaps metaphorical "bruise" is not something others can see. The dilation of the pupil in the eye suggests a low light perhaps with a flash. The color relationships I see are red/blue, and green/yellow.