Easily one of the most bizarre photos either of us has posted–and it’s getting the comments to prove it. The first thoughts everyone seems to express about it always include the word “creepy.”
Apparently, this is a portion of a sculpture currently housed at DFW Airport, D Terminal. That’s the new very up-to-date and modern (primarily)American Airlines terminal that is home to many fancy restaurants, a Hyatt Hotel and a host of cultural art that would make many a museum director drool. This crazy thing sits right in the middle of the floor, and you can walk all the way around it. It’s sixteen feet tall, and made of cast bronze, acrylic and terra cotta. Kyle’s picture is of the middle section—the acrylic part. The artist titled the piece ”Standing Ovation” which at least *explains” it a bit. If you look closely, the hands do seem to be grouped in pairs, and in positions that hands would experience during clapping. And the sculpture “stands” in the public view. (Actually, it’s suspended from the ceiling!) So, one part double entendre, one part Addams Family, one part dismembered body parts . . . and voila! Modern art.
Especially interesting to me, is that the artist, Anitra Blaylock received an MFA from my own alma mater, TCU and is on staff there, too.
In all fairness, when viewed in its entirety (which I have not done in person, but I have seen the promotional photo) it is far less . . . creepy. It is still very surreal, and I’m not sure it lives up to the vision of the artist whose concept was to create a sculptural salutation to any walking by. It is intended to be a physical rendering of celebration, of human joy and of appreciation of one another. Seems a reasonable expectation for hundreds of lifesize, clapping hands, carefully cast each from a different individual person and representing all ages, races, backgrounds.
Why then, does it result in a photograph that is simply . . . creepy.
~MB
~KR (day forty-four— 14 December, 2006)
Camera: Canon PowerShot S1 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
Exposure Bias: 0/3 EV
Creepy… very creepy.
I can’t put my finger on exactly why, but I’ve got to hand it to you – this photo deserves a round of applause!
I don’t get it either. It looks even creepier to me from a distance, like it was…it was…Nahhh! Couldn’t be!