Zooming In

« Autistic American Culture | Main | Eliza's cousins... »

November 03, 2005

Postcard

Postcard: Joni Mitchell taken by Annie Leibovitz

Studium: Pictured is a dark scene of mostly green. There is a large fountain in the middle of a forest area. The area is made up of all different vegetation with different leaves. Some are long and thin, almost tropical, and the others are rounder and broad. The fountain is mostly gray but has a green tint from the vegetation.

Joni Mitchell, a slender older woman with long dark hair that is graying, is sitting on the edge of the fountain. Her legs are crossed underneath her long, ribbed, dark green cloak and dress. Her shoes are black boots. She is holding a cigarrette in her right hand, which is crossed over her left. Also, she is looking to her right, away from the camera. She is not smiling, nor frowning. Joni appears to be the object of the photo even tho she is not in the center. The contrast from her olive skin to the background sets her apart.

There is a small potted plant on the opposing side of the fountain. There is a small bit of water coming out of the fountain but even that appears green from all the dark colors. The sun is apparently hitting one of the plants because it is very light green in contrast to the rest of the photograph. There are small bits of flowers around the fountain. Also, there is a wobbly, gray slated pathway around the fountain. In the background, there is a tall oddly-shaped gray pole thats purpose does not seem relevant to the photo. Deep in the vegetation are small blue flowers that stick out from the dark shades surrounding them.

Punctum: To me, this photo represents an older woman reflecting on her life. Joni is looking out into the distance as if thinking and not focusing on what she sees. Her smoking seems to symbolize her confliction, possibly disapointment or aggravation in her life because she does not even put down the cigarrette for a photograph. Reflection on her life seems portrayed by the scenery. It is a calm scenery away from the business of every day life such as cars and buildings. The fountain is a contrast to that because it is man made, as is the pole. It seems she is upset that she cannot fully get away. The tropical looking plants almost seems like she feels she must go to a deserted island to escape her routine, busy life. Her attire reminds me of an artistic person (who she is) that is carefree of conformed styles. But, at the same time, she wants more in life. She seems to want more to her life, make an impact, yet she wants to leave it all. She does not seem overly stressed though because her body is not tense. At the same time, she seems very tired because of her expression, posture, and the way her body is situated. She seemed to have let her muscles go and not worry about looking good for a photograph.

Her mental situation seems timeless. All throughout time we have seen a person escaping their lives and just sitting in the woods. Green has always been a calming color and because vegetation is almost all green, it is soothing.

The small bits of color throughout the picture seem to almost represent flashes of reminders of the world in her mind. As we look over the photo, our eyes flash to and from the color. In the same way, I would think that Joni is thinking about her getting away and then she remembers a business deal that makes her unable to leave.

-Jessica Y

Posted by lcisyeich at November 3, 2005 07:28 PM

Comments

Posted by: Zaya at November 3, 2005 08:32 PM

Posted by: qmgftlcuexu at June 19, 2008 12:59 AM

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:
Remember Me? YesNo

Comments: