Life is a milky way. Alone, we are merely stars amongst the darkness, burning brighter every day until one day, we burn out. A star grows and grows moving through dark matter over the course of its life. Stars, much like everything else, have no guaranteed span of time, for some may start fall into the darkness earlier or later than others. In my life, I like many others, have faced many challenges each making me stronger and smarter. Life is about taking challenges and overcoming them, challenging them and making the best of them. The photograph titled “Evidence No. 2” by Angela Strassheim represents both sides of life, embracing it’s beauty and hardships.
While the topic of the photo itself envelops one of the largest mishaps and hardships in life there’s more to it than what meets the eye. At first glance you see the scene of a crime. The crumpled sheets strewn about the bed lying under a cover of darkness amongst the faint markings of blood upon the walls. Wondering what happened here it allows your imagination to travel into the darkest crevices of the mind. Death. Slaughter. Hurt. We can only wonder what caused this pain to ensue, what factors built the darkness that was too hard to escape. The dark color of the blanket tells the story on its own, the blanket is in a sense the darkness that engulfed this persons world. Science is here too, a reagent that reveals light traces of DNA, lighting the tones of blood spatter on the wall and giving a sense of escape, that in spite of the darkness it ended in light.
Laying on the ground looking up into the night sky, you see darkness but within that darkness is perhaps the most beautiful light the universe has to offer. It brings not only hope for the days to come but allows peace and tranquility to overtake the mind at least for a brief period. It’s human nature to let things get to us but sometimes it becomes to much to handle even for the strongest of people. The most important visual aspect of this piece is not only the high contrast but also the pairs represented throughout the photo. As with most challenges life throws at us, in times of need we look to someone else for guidance and inspiration. Perhaps the strongest pairing in the photo is located just above center where two balls hang at the end of the fan or lights string, representing the idea of finding strength in another. One which has a very light tone while the other very dark, symbolizes the relationship between the people and the challenge that one faces. Another significant pairing is the pillows, one propped up the other laying perfectly flat. The pillows act as a visual representation of the passing of time, as we read from left to right that is how the photo is read. The pillow still propped up, represents the struggle to stay afloat and the weight of the problems weighing them down. The pillow on the right, representing the outcome and the idea that even though it is not a desired outcome, there is peace in the end.
This piece uses simplistic design elements such as tone, color, contrast, and hard lines to help convey it’s message. The balance of topics the piece covers is what makes this piece so successful. In conveying its idea and while providing a clear meaning, it still manages to make other points and keep the viewers contemplating the piece as a whole. The photo is quite literally a light that shows us into the darkness that is a crime unseen.
While some things may seem horrible and in many cases they are horrible, there can be a good found within them. There was a crime committed here but that is not the point. A successful piece of art is one that can stand alone, make an impression, and make you think. Just as one star can create a lasting picture in the sky, one person can create a lasting picture in the world. Life, as unknown as the darkness that consumes the world in which we live, one must find their way through the times of trouble and difficulty in order to be rewarded with happiness. It’s not always as easy as it seems, it can rip you apart and tear you down but there is always a way out for those willing to look for it. Embracing the beauty and hardships of life can change the course of not only one persons life but even the lives of millions. Some six thousand stars are visible to the naked eye, but there are actually more than a hundred billion in our own Galaxy, while billions of other galaxies are known. We are never alone, even in the darkest of times we are surrounded by light.
Photo: "Evidence No.2" Angela Strassheim
