By the Time you Read this, the Links will be Dead...
An MSN article today in the Slate Magazine Today's Pictures area featured a book from 1993 by photographer Martin Parr, entitled Bored Couples.
Martin Parr (b. 1952) has been a social photographer, if you will, since his boyhood. He takes pictures of things that really make you think about the moment; what was taking place at the time the picture was shot...what the subjects were thinking, etc. I had never heard of him until seeing the article today, but right away his images struck me.
Bored Couples contains 22 images shot from the mid-eighties up until the book's publication, mostly taken in Europe. Looking at these pictures, I feel saddened, to think that these relationships exist so stagnantly on film. They make me wonder if these couples are happy outside of the public eye. They make me wonder if maybe these people enjoy the silence. They make me wonder if maybe the picture was simply taken during a lull in conversation.
There are those who think that silence is golden...I don't happen to be one of them. I am the Chattiest Cathy you'll ever meet! Well, maybe. But you understand what I'm getting at. I have a tendency to talk my boyfriend's ear off at times, whereas he doesn't mind the silence. I don't know whether it has to do with being female, or just being me, but every time the room is silent, it makes me think that something is wrong. "Why isn't he talking to me?" I wonder. Of course, he just thinks I'm crazy for being so paranoid about things. I wonder what we would look like caught on film, with no soundtrack to accompany it. I wonder what an outsider would think of our relationship. Heck, I even wonder what they think of us when they're sitting 2 feet away.
It's really hard to know what people are like, without talking to them. Even when you do talk to people, you never genuinely know what they're like. You only know exactly what a person is like, when you're that person, I guess. Even then, some people still question themselves. (But that is all another subject for another day).
Back to the book, though.
I am not the kind of person that is moved by art. Some people will cry at the sight of a Rembrandt. Me? I’m more along the lines of “Cool! It’s a Rembrandt!”. But there is just something about these pictures that screams to me of loneliness and lost love. Maybe when I’m older, I’ll realize you don’t have to talk every waking moment to still be in a wonderful, happy, successful relationship. Maybe. Here’s hoping, I guess. For my sake, as well as for my boyfriend’s. :)
An MSN article today in the Slate Magazine Today's Pictures area featured a book from 1993 by photographer Martin Parr, entitled Bored Couples.
Martin Parr (b. 1952) has been a social photographer, if you will, since his boyhood. He takes pictures of things that really make you think about the moment; what was taking place at the time the picture was shot...what the subjects were thinking, etc. I had never heard of him until seeing the article today, but right away his images struck me.
Bored Couples contains 22 images shot from the mid-eighties up until the book's publication, mostly taken in Europe. Looking at these pictures, I feel saddened, to think that these relationships exist so stagnantly on film. They make me wonder if these couples are happy outside of the public eye. They make me wonder if maybe these people enjoy the silence. They make me wonder if maybe the picture was simply taken during a lull in conversation.
There are those who think that silence is golden...I don't happen to be one of them. I am the Chattiest Cathy you'll ever meet! Well, maybe. But you understand what I'm getting at. I have a tendency to talk my boyfriend's ear off at times, whereas he doesn't mind the silence. I don't know whether it has to do with being female, or just being me, but every time the room is silent, it makes me think that something is wrong. "Why isn't he talking to me?" I wonder. Of course, he just thinks I'm crazy for being so paranoid about things. I wonder what we would look like caught on film, with no soundtrack to accompany it. I wonder what an outsider would think of our relationship. Heck, I even wonder what they think of us when they're sitting 2 feet away.
It's really hard to know what people are like, without talking to them. Even when you do talk to people, you never genuinely know what they're like. You only know exactly what a person is like, when you're that person, I guess. Even then, some people still question themselves. (But that is all another subject for another day).
Back to the book, though.
I am not the kind of person that is moved by art. Some people will cry at the sight of a Rembrandt. Me? I’m more along the lines of “Cool! It’s a Rembrandt!”. But there is just something about these pictures that screams to me of loneliness and lost love. Maybe when I’m older, I’ll realize you don’t have to talk every waking moment to still be in a wonderful, happy, successful relationship. Maybe. Here’s hoping, I guess. For my sake, as well as for my boyfriend’s. :)
posted by Laura/PFG @ 12:35 PM
2 Comments:
At 7:50 PM,
Azathoth100 said…
It's hard for any couple to be animated and happy at all times. Sometimes even the best relationships can have a moment like these caught on film. My lady is also the type to talk all the time. After 5 years I still enjoy hearing her chatter. I've always been the listening type for the most part, it's why so many of my friends come to me with thier problems. It's not that I can usually do much, it's just nice to have someone to talk to when your down or confused. The funny thing is, now when my lady isn't talking I start to think that theres something wrong, just because I'm used to her chatting. Go figure.
At 10:14 AM,
Laura/PFG said…
I always feel bad when friends come to me with their problems and I don't have anything useful to say. But then I tell myself that just listening to them helps, too. :) I have a hard time remembering that.
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