the life of liza
on a dream by the lake
This photograph does not make sense. Let’s acknowledge that right up front. It does not make sense. It’s not a portrait, though it meets the general definition of one. It’s not an example of the snapshot aesthetic, though it has most of the elements of that style. It’s not a surrealist image, though the way the horizon lines all bend toward the woman as though she emits a powerful gravimetric force clearly defies reality. No, this photograph does not make sense.
Yet every contradiction contributes to its strange beauty. That long, sensuous neck should be entirely out of place with that prim, severe collar…and yet it’s not. Those green Mary Poppins shoulders should not exist in the same universe as that sultry red lipstick…and yet they create a wonderfully idiosyncratic harmony. Those disapproving eyes should be unsympathetic…and yet one senses they contain deep compassion and that there is laughter only a moment away.
No, this photograph makes no sense at all. So clearly, we must abandon our claim on sensibility. Clearly, we must give ourselves over to the delightful fact that we live in a world where such a woman exists. Clearly, this woman is about to laugh and smile, and when she does we will all of us be happily transported to a dream by the lake.
Blog photograph copyrighted to the photographer and used with permission by utata.org. All photographs used on utata.org are stored on flickr.com and are obtained via the flickr API. Text is copyrighted to the author, greg fallis and is used with permission by utata.org. Please see Show and Share Your Work
