Curriculum Materials: Amazing Animals in
Art
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Jane Tuckerman Essays: Questions: |
Untitled Photograph
Taken on the coast of South Carolina, Jane Tuckerman's black-and-white photograph Untitled has a mysterious dreamlike aura that challenges the viewer's perception and invites speculation. At first glance, we recognize seagulls flying over a shore, yet their forms are not entirely discernible. Using a BIRD'S-EYE VIEW, the photographer has captured the gulls in various phases of flight; some soar gracefully on outstretched wings, while others are shown in rather awkward, erratic positions. Some forms appear as shadows or mere fragments, blurred and difficult to identify. Particularly disturbing is the large dark gull form looming ambiguously above the horizon line. It seems strangely out of scale. Is it a bird or a shadow? Is it flying or falling from the sky? More clearly defined is the gull on the right edge of the photograph that seems to be suspended, hovering in midair. The close proximity of these birds to the camera's lens and the cropped format of the photograph contribute to their mysterious presence.
To add to the conundrum, many questions arise when we try to define the scene from our bird's-eye vantage point. Is it day or night? Winter or summer? Reality or fantasy? There are signs of human habitation, but why are no people in sight? Certain elements of this expansive scene are recognizable: tidy clusters of plump, feathery trees, a running fence that boldly casts its shadow across the landscape, and a wedge of sea with its waves lapping against the shore. But the dark areas of sea and sky next to the brilliantly lighted landscape seem to defy a logical explanation. Moreover, the luminous quality of the trees and earth suggests a snowy covering--not green grass and fertile soil, where such hardy trees would be expected to flourish.
Strong contrasts of light and dark contribute to the photograph's sense of mystery. The rich blacks of the shadows are intensified when cast against the glowing white tones of the trees and ground. A diffuse band of radiant light separates the dark sky from the murky black water. The glowing wings of a gull echo the wispy, ethereal cloud forms, conveying a sensation of movement with their blurred effects.
Tuckerman is interested in conveying the mysteries of
nature, its vastness and its power. Growing up on a farm in
the remote countryside of Massachusetts, she is sensitive to
the overwhelming forces of nature. In her photograph, the
expansiveness of the landscape and its luminescent qualities
evoke a sense of hushed quietude. While some might interpret
this as a contemplative scene, others may perceive it as
ominous and foreboding. Open to interpretation, her work is
richly evocative, appealing to the imagination of the
viewer.
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