Trapped in Focus‏

From: Tanya

This is a photograph of my son Gavyn. He was the ring bearer in my brother’s wedding this past weekend in Arizona and this was a candid photo I was able to get of him when he wasn’t paying attention. As we know, typically the boys in a wedding party are the ring-bearers and the girls are the flower girls. This is not a new role for my son as he has been tasked with this role in a few weddings thus far. Through the idea of “Self-Sustaining Prophecies” these roles are innocent but leave an engrained mark in the impressionable minds of the young children involved. I think this photo says a lot about how he was feeling that day in general. He looks extremely uncomfortable in this “big man” suit that is to be KEPT CLEAN at all costs. His eyes are looking down and away from the camera as if to say. “When will this be over?” His white shirtsleeves peeking out from below the coat say a few things to me. First, that these types of acts of selflessness and the “just do this and get it over with” type of constriction on a five year old boy is a large order. Second, his innocence portrayed in the white color of the shirtsleeve against the black color of the coat jacket is striking. Lastly, the fact that his suit and shirt are incorrectly tailored creates the almost undeniable feeling that he doesn’t quite fit the mold. I love that in the background there are several indicators of straight lines to fall into but that he happened to be positioned in front of an ornate design. I think this speaks to the fact that he maintains his identity throughout the strains to be like everyone else. Interestingly again, in the background there are gnome, turtle and frog figures. These, to me, lend themselves to his adventurous nature and almost mock him in a strange way. He is “all dressed up with no way to play” (sing-song). The photo being out of focus is, again, in my opinion, a home run. It symbolizes Gavyn being blurred into the rest of the environment or crowd. In his role, he is not to act any other way than prescribed and is therefore another “piece” to the picture as a whole. But what is the picture? A boy? A man? A rent-a-boy in a suit? He certainly looks like he could use an explanation.