Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Shreya - November 11

At first glance this image by Gabriel Orozco appears to be a simple photograph of a dreary Manhattan skyline. However, looking at it just a little bit longer causes the playful sculpture in the foreground to quickly materialize. Orozco has cleverly arranged planks of wood against a parking barrier to make them imitate the skyline in the background. Part of the reason it takes a second longer to see the sculpture is the use of allied colours within the image. The shades of blue in the background and the shades of brown and beige in the foreground create a camouflage effect in the photograph. Also adding to this is the neutral grey of the pavement and sky. This makes the mirroring of the shapes cause a subtle aha experience, adding humour to an otherwise gloomy day. The eye tends to move back and forth from the arranged wood planks to the skyline through the kind of arrow formed by the barrier between land and water. The image functions as a reminder to its viewers of the small subtle worlds that can exist within larger ones.

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