Ethan Barker
Philip-Lorca diCorcia, "W, November 2007, #6"
2007, Archival pigment print
I selected this image because it makes me think of how sometimes it's the thoughts that we choose NOT to verbalize can still haunt our minds. I see a snapshot of a man in a deeply candid moment as he realizes how distant he is from his partner. I notice four sources of warm light and the man is not illuminated by any of them which further emboldens the disparity I feel in regards to narrative. The artwork above the bed conveys distrust, betrayal, and deception - all of which I feel summarize the tone of this image. The turned back to the sleeping subject particularly captures emotional distance and distrust The man seems to have no intention of waking his partner and confronting the problem. Instead he appears to have just changed into a suit and will be leaving with no goodbye. I love how diCorcia photographs an uneventful, safe environment yet manages to portray dark aspects of human interaction through manipulation of light, positioning of subjects, and choice of gesture for his subject.
