2016 Discussion:
Liz and I sat down to talk in an intimate little room in Baker. She wore a striking blue dress and her eyes lit up when she spoke. She was a Junior and had many stories to tell about her time at Dartmouth. Our conversation moved in the direction of mental health. Liz has always had a calming effect on anyone she meets and this was no different. She spoke to me about the struggles of taking care of your mental health in a place that values product, efficiency, and demands perfection above all else. I asked Liz how she wanted to be depicted in her portrait. She responded with one word: resilient.
Visual Analysis:
In Liz’s portrait, her body is confined to the rightmost part of the photograph. A beige curtain cuts the image in half, the left side of the photograph falling into blackness and the right side composed of color, light, and Liz’s defiant expression. She faces away from our gaze and crosses her arms – placing a wall between herself and the viewer. She has complete agency in this portrait and chooses to remain in her own thoughts, aware of our gaze but indifferent to it.