The picture from the New Yorker cover details a shot of two women walking across a zebra crossing. One is detailed in mainly white, and the other is detailed in mainly black. They both clearly show distaste for the other as the walk past and give a long glare even after passing by. The obvious message that this shows the separation between people of different colors and the feelings between two types of people when clearly they look almost exactly alike in every other form. Right down to their posture, to the body structure, to even the position in which they turn around, it is almost identical, with the only difference being that they are wearing different color clothing. But the picture also captures how sometimes a person can replicate another that they hate without even knowing it. Both women’s shoe don’t match their own color and match the opposing woman’s color, creating a very stand-out image, and the color manages to pop because of the streak contrast. This could just be another connection to the idea of being more similar than we think or the idea of ironically following in the footsteps of one that you hate so much in turn makes a person just as bad as they perceive the other to be. The background is completely lacking in color, creating a dead lifeless and boring city. This helps to establish a world that is being created when such hatred is being spread, a bland and forgettable one that only exists to follow trends and hate what everyone else hates. Another way that this photo could be interpreted is within the social class and how the higher ups view more minimal things more emotionally and get angry over little things instead of the big picture. Seeing these two upper class posh women hate each other for the color they are wearing is proven to be even more ironic when the entire city behind them is a dull grey.  Showing that these women are of the same social status comes through with their similar height, showing that they are the same class yet still they hate each other for the other minimal factors, like colored clothing. The only other color that comes through within this photo is the yellow of the traffic lights and the taxi, which could symbolize the real world trying to come back in their minds, but these vain women prevent reality from coming in and instead debate over their meaningless quarrel.

 

3 Replies to “Interpretive photo BCM110”

  1. Tarushi Fernando

    Really love this image, I believe it tells the viewers so many things, based on ideology of course everyone will see something different. A another way this image could perhaps be interpreted is through the representation of women. Women constantly comparing themselves to one another, not feeling good enough or equal – always trying to be better than the women around them. Today’s society is a place where a lot of women empower each other but with this comes a lot who tear each other down. This image could represent this notion of feminism and the need for women to unite and stand together as one, instead of constantly comparing themselves to one another. Really intriguing how this image has so many different connotations.

    • johnny.mitchell2412@gmail.com

      Thanks for the comment. I can’t believe that i didn’t think to put that into my post. The idea seemed so obvious, yet i was to focused on different interpretations that i didn’t look at the obvious answers.

  2. Alice

    I really enjoyed your interpretation of the image! I never would have come up with the concept of ironically replicating someone you hate without knowing it. That really highlights the idea that interpretations differ based on our ideological positons. The image is similar to mine in regard to the lack of colour creating meaning within an image. It portrays how we can all have different connotations of a sign, symbol or image as a result of various colours and really shows that we all experience different types of the media in several ways.

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