Visual Analysis of a Beuford Smith Photograph
The piece which I will analyze was shot by Beuford Smith, and is titled These Colors Don't Run. It was taken in 1999 and is a silver gelatin print. It is displayed in Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery in the Schine Student Center at Syracuse University.The issue at the heart of Smiths print appears to be race and racial tensions, as with many of the other works on display. However unlike some of the others it was not taken in the period during and before the sixties. Rather than this time, which we view as the era of racial change and the peak of racial tension in America, it was taken in 1999 a time were less attention is given to any remaining tension. Nor does the print depict an actual event which we view as a symbol of racial tension, like Million Man March in Washington D.C. and Three Placards, June 14, Anti-Apartheid Rally, Central Park, New York New York City. How exactly is Smith commenting on our current situation and what is he saying?The print is done in black and white making one think that it was in fact taken during the civil rights movement. However this assumption is quickly found to be wrong as one investigates the boy's shirt which has the words Operation Desert Storm. By having viewers make this assump
There are several similarities in the works both deal with dining both have a physical barrier between the races, glass in one, a rope in the other. Perhaps his father; Desert Storm was a war which was manned un-proportionately by the less fortunate and by minorities. It is with these techniques, as well as a carefully constructed mood, that Smith comments on our current state of racial equality. One that is present in famous scenes of the civil rights movement and one that is used by Jacob Lawrence in the Harlem Renaissance period. This change symbolizes the change which has taken place over the 60 years which span between the two artworks. The two characters ages must also be taken into consideration; one representing the old and one the new. Related themes we have discussed are the civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's and the Harlem Renaissance. Also the black and white coloring makes it feel more like a factual documentation. They are separated by the glossy, nearly invisible glass of the store front which shows the faint reflection of the world out side the shop. " His wearing large the shirt makes viewers think of where he might have gotten it. The boy has a sad look on his face and has his hands on to cafe style tables on the sidewalk. She has sun glasses on but the tilt of her head makes in feel as though she is looking at the boy through the window even though we can't actually tell. The woman is drinking coffee at the counter. This conjures up images of the civil rights movement, white only establishments, sit ins, and so forth.
Common topics in this essay:
Desert Storm,
Harlem Renaissance,
African American,
Syracuse University,
Visually Smith's,
York City,
Civil Rights,
Don't Run,
civil rights,
rights movement,
desert storm,
civil rights movement,
,
Placards June,
harlem renaissance,
operation desert storm,
black white,
looking boy,
makes feel,
racial tension,
invisible boundaries,
colors don't run,
african american,
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Acceptance Essays
