Melting Pot Project | Conceptual
The contrast aspect of my series is involved not only in the dramatic lighting, but also in the message itself. Each continent painted on the models’ backs represents a contrasting culture to each other. The colors I chose to paint the continents I felt went along with the characteristics possessed by each. Africa is depicted as yellow to symbolize the desert. Australia is blue to represent the aquatic life. Europe is purple for royalty and sophistication. South America is green for the rain forests. Asia is red to represent all of the art created with the color in the area. Each continent has unique traditions, languages, and even currency. Over time, these different cultures have made their way to America to find new opportunities and start new lives. Because of this, the contrast between the different cultures in America is beginning to blend, which helped generate the nickname of “The Melting Pot.” The idea of the cultures integrating and becoming a sum of parts is represented in the appearance of the models. Each shows a slightly different skin tone and hair color, but are mostly similar. Through this, I wanted to show how in the future, although diversity will always be valued, more and more similarities will arise between the different cultures as they continue to blend.
The lighting of the photos was done to create dimension. It also helps create a clear separation of the model from the backdrop on the left hand side, while allowing them to blend on the right. According to Joe Lavine and Brad Bartholomew, authors of Light Right, “It’s up to us to pick the right lighting to enhance specific attributes in each individual subject.” This form of high-contrast lighting also allows the painted forms to almost dissolve into the models’ bodies, further emphasizing the idea of heritage, as it is something that exists within us.
The subject matter in the photos includes the models seated facing away from the camera with the five different continents painted on their backs. Each model’s hair is styled in the same way to create a sense of unity. The subject created from the subject matter in the photos is the idea of America’s cultures blending together. The models’ skin tone and hair color are only slightly different from one another, so although they may represent different parts of the world, as cultures combine, more and more similarities come forward.
The actual subjects of my photos and the series include illustrative, expressive, and statement-oriented. As a whole, the photos tell the story of America and how all of these different cultures from different areas of the world come together. Individually, each photo tells a little story about the character seen. The continent on their back could symbolize where this person’s family originated, and then can allow the viewer to relate to that person. In an effort to further this experience, I decided to display my photos as they would be displayed in a gallery setting. By presenting the photos in almost a “raw” format, I remove everything that would separate the viewer from the photo, whether it is glass or a frame. I also decided to display them hanging from the ceiling, further accentuating the raw feeling and making the experience more intimate and not so static. I wanted the viewers to be able to physically approach the photos and create a connection with them.
After establishing this idea with the viewer, the photos become expressive, hopefully evoking a feeling of remembrance or a time of reflection, as the viewer sees all of the continents joined together. Each person and family has their own story, so hopefully my series can allow everyone to relate. Finally, after all of this has been established, the series then goes on to form a statement about American cultures today. America is a very diverse country, being home to people from all over the world. Because of this, we are exposed to many different cultures and as time goes on, these start to blend, represented by the looks of my models. What I ultimately hope to emote through this photo series is the idea that instead of focusing on what makes each culture different, we should focus on the similarities because we are all more similar than we often choose to acknowledge.
