While viewing this image, visitors responded to one of the questions Catherine Opie posed about portraits.
- Which of these landscapes intrigues you and why?
- Write a story or poem inspired by one of these pictures. Or, if one of them brings a memory to mind, tell that story.
- Some of these images are made spontaneously while others are carefully staged by the artist. How does this difference in approach affect your response?
To read more about Catherine Opie's work, visit Catherine Opie: American Photographer
This image intrigues me because it conveys two very different ideas as emotions. The first thing I notice is the desolate and almost eerie mood of the image. This feeling in conjunction with the cold facade of the Police Station turns this "ghost" town into an inhabitable, cold and maybe even dangerous place to live. On the other hand the early morning sun and the McDonald's restaurant contrast greatly with my initial interpretation. These aspects of the photo bring to mind childhood memories, fun morning outings and family and friends. Overall, the lack of human presence in this photograph envelopes the warmer characteristics resulting in, for me at least, still a cold and uneasy picture.
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