As I concluded in the previous post, the wedding pictures formed the spine of the main narrative. I positioned them as chapter headings to be followed by further details within.
1922
1952
2016
Within each chapter I wanted to include some images that conveyed the notion of family. The ones selected came down to what I was able to replicate, at least approximate, across three generations. The first series of three conveyed family ties; the second set, the bond between siblings. Together, they presented a normal happy family life.
I wanted to include shots portraying the migration. Migration, as a component of globalization, representing different cultures coming into co-existence. The series starts with a shot of my father being held by his mother, with her mother by her side. The series continues with the shots of the boat and at sea. Keeping Roland Barthes in mind, that my grandmother had her eyes shut in the first image represented an interesting detail (“punctum”).
The final set of three images was of churches. Their inclusion was questioned during a critique. I wanted to include churches to represent the metaphysical perspective. Those places where the marriages and christenings took place; the sanctuary; the good. The change from black and white to colour and to an inside view was important. Raising questions in the mind of the reader introduces ambiguity; it forces a pause for reflection, which is a good thing. In this case, I don’t think it’s a major hurdle however.
These images then formed the core of the narrative. However, the story needs some tension which I will layer over these core threads.
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