Morgan, Barbara. (1900–1992). "Confrontation," Original Barbara Morgan Photograph. Original silver gelatin photograph, 26 x 26 cm, signed "Barbara Morgan" dated 1970 and titled "Confrontation" in pencil on the mount. Overall 37.5 x 41.5 cm. Foxing to mount, else fine. Framed.
"The year Morgan returned to creating photomontages in earnest, in 1965, also was the year doctors diagnosed Morgan's husband Willard with throat cancer. Anfter two years of fighting the disease, Willard passed away in 1967. Although Morgan never specifically mentioned her husband's illness as a factor in returning to photomontage, several of her artworks from this period seem to address the themese of cancer and death. Among these works is 'Confrontation.' The skull is a time-honored artistic symbol of death, but in this photomontage the skull suggests a secondary meaning. Morgan placed the skull and spine in opposition to the head and neck of the woman, to present two opposite states of existence: life and death. A likely refernce to the Asian concept of opposites, the Yin and Yang, appears as the primarily white upper half of the montage, the location of the skull, stands in opposition to the dark tones of the lower half, where Morgan placed the woman's head. The specific negatives Morgan chose are relevant as well. The dancer Anna Sokolow is the woman who appears in 'Confrontation.' Morgan utilized a 1940 photograph of the dancer performance 'Slaughter of the Innocents.'...In designing the montage, Morgan chose an image of a woman who looked remarkably similar to herself in her youth. Furthermore, Sokolow closes her eyes as if in a reverie. The ghostly, disembodied hand reaches toward her. It is a large, thick hand reminiscent of the the hand of Morgan's deceased husband. The specter of death, as represented by the skull, overalps Sokolow's head. The turns away from the skull, but cannot escape it." (Brett Knape, "Barbara Morgan's Photographic Interpretation of American Culture, 1935--1980," p. 189 - 90)
"The year Morgan returned to creating photomontages in earnest, in 1965, also was the year doctors diagnosed Morgan's husband Willard with throat cancer. Anfter two years of fighting the disease, Willard passed away in 1967. Although Morgan never specifically mentioned her husband's illness as a factor in returning to photomontage, several of her artworks from this period seem to address the themese of cancer and death. Among these works is 'Confrontation.' The skull is a time-honored artistic symbol of death, but in this photomontage the skull suggests a secondary meaning. Morgan placed the skull and spine in opposition to the head and neck of the woman, to present two opposite states of existence: life and death. A likely refernce to the Asian concept of opposites, the Yin and Yang, appears as the primarily white upper half of the montage, the location of the skull, stands in opposition to the dark tones of the lower half, where Morgan placed the woman's head. The specific negatives Morgan chose are relevant as well. The dancer Anna Sokolow is the woman who appears in 'Confrontation.' Morgan utilized a 1940 photograph of the dancer performance 'Slaughter of the Innocents.'...In designing the montage, Morgan chose an image of a woman who looked remarkably similar to herself in her youth. Furthermore, Sokolow closes her eyes as if in a reverie. The ghostly, disembodied hand reaches toward her. It is a large, thick hand reminiscent of the the hand of Morgan's deceased husband. The specter of death, as represented by the skull, overalps Sokolow's head. The turns away from the skull, but cannot escape it." (Brett Knape, "Barbara Morgan's Photographic Interpretation of American Culture, 1935--1980," p. 189 - 90)
Morgan, Barbara. (1900–1992). "Confrontation," Original Barbara Morgan Photograph. Original silver gelatin photograph, 26 x 26 cm, signed "Barbara Morgan" dated 1970 and titled "Confrontation" in pencil on the mount. Overall 37.5 x 41.5 cm. Foxing to mount, else fine. Framed.
"The year Morgan returned to creating photomontages in earnest, in 1965, also was the year doctors diagnosed Morgan's husband Willard with throat cancer. Anfter two years of fighting the disease, Willard passed away in 1967. Although Morgan never specifically mentioned her husband's illness as a factor in returning to photomontage, several of her artworks from this period seem to address the themese of cancer and death. Among these works is 'Confrontation.' The skull is a time-honored artistic symbol of death, but in this photomontage the skull suggests a secondary meaning. Morgan placed the skull and spine in opposition to the head and neck of the woman, to present two opposite states of existence: life and death. A likely refernce to the Asian concept of opposites, the Yin and Yang, appears as the primarily white upper half of the montage, the location of the skull, stands in opposition to the dark tones of the lower half, where Morgan placed the woman's head. The specific negatives Morgan chose are relevant as well. The dancer Anna Sokolow is the woman who appears in 'Confrontation.' Morgan utilized a 1940 photograph of the dancer performance 'Slaughter of the Innocents.'...In designing the montage, Morgan chose an image of a woman who looked remarkably similar to herself in her youth. Furthermore, Sokolow closes her eyes as if in a reverie. The ghostly, disembodied hand reaches toward her. It is a large, thick hand reminiscent of the the hand of Morgan's deceased husband. The specter of death, as represented by the skull, overalps Sokolow's head. The turns away from the skull, but cannot escape it." (Brett Knape, "Barbara Morgan's Photographic Interpretation of American Culture, 1935--1980," p. 189 - 90)
"The year Morgan returned to creating photomontages in earnest, in 1965, also was the year doctors diagnosed Morgan's husband Willard with throat cancer. Anfter two years of fighting the disease, Willard passed away in 1967. Although Morgan never specifically mentioned her husband's illness as a factor in returning to photomontage, several of her artworks from this period seem to address the themese of cancer and death. Among these works is 'Confrontation.' The skull is a time-honored artistic symbol of death, but in this photomontage the skull suggests a secondary meaning. Morgan placed the skull and spine in opposition to the head and neck of the woman, to present two opposite states of existence: life and death. A likely refernce to the Asian concept of opposites, the Yin and Yang, appears as the primarily white upper half of the montage, the location of the skull, stands in opposition to the dark tones of the lower half, where Morgan placed the woman's head. The specific negatives Morgan chose are relevant as well. The dancer Anna Sokolow is the woman who appears in 'Confrontation.' Morgan utilized a 1940 photograph of the dancer performance 'Slaughter of the Innocents.'...In designing the montage, Morgan chose an image of a woman who looked remarkably similar to herself in her youth. Furthermore, Sokolow closes her eyes as if in a reverie. The ghostly, disembodied hand reaches toward her. It is a large, thick hand reminiscent of the the hand of Morgan's deceased husband. The specter of death, as represented by the skull, overalps Sokolow's head. The turns away from the skull, but cannot escape it." (Brett Knape, "Barbara Morgan's Photographic Interpretation of American Culture, 1935--1980," p. 189 - 90)