Saturday, March 1, 2008

International Collage exchange # 8

National Geographic images, found ruler (broken)
Title: Measuring Success.
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The piece of broken ruler ended up being the inspiration for this collage. I found it the other day during a walk around a local school and stashed it in my handbag (naturally!) for later use. I havn't graduated to shopping trolleys yet so there's no need to worry:)
The red image is of some parents so keen to get their children into a particular school that they have spend the night sleeping 'rough' in order to give their kids a better chance of getting in. This I would assume would be their measure of success, to be able to say their child goes to a particular school.
The bottom left corner is of a statue covered in gifts to repay a particular Saint for blessings bestowed apon the gift bearer. A measure of their success in pleasing various Saints and Gods. The city behind looks prosperous, there has obviously been a measure of success here, yet in reality there's a slum within a few miles where a success would be finding a tin roof that didn't leak. The bird is being weighed to check it's health and measure the success of the breeding programme put in place to try and reverse some of the damage done to the Macaw population by human acvtivity.
There are so many measures of success, yet for me these children say more than any of the other images about success. They have found friendship, understanding and love despite the hardship of their surroundings.
Well, that's what I think, how about you?

10 comments:

John M. Mora said...

My problem here is the two kids are dressed like a Gap clothes ad - upper middle class kid clothes in America.

Doubt you have the Gap there - if you do I will eat my h(e)a(r)t.

Mick said...

Another big step forward with this piece, Lisa. By the way, it worries me that you DON'T have a shopping trolley! :O

Anonymous said...

Wow Lisa! Your productivity is making me feel guilty (gots to move my b__t and get busy). I like all of these last three collages, I could put the same thing on each post Bravo! and Bravo! and Bravo!.
Ah, and know what you mean about picking stuff up off the ground, I have a ziplock I keep in my sac for just such occasions. The hub has now ceased to comment on it. In fact, before throwing something broken away, he'll say, "Do you need this?".

John M. Mora said...

I have looked at this work again and understand why it bothered me and maybe it was something you were reaching for - the unfair distribution of wealth and how we are measured buy it - not a typo.

The collection is impressive - do you have a tag so we can search and review it?

Kris Cahill said...

Wonderful collage, Lisa. Definitely powerful and impressive. I like that the children have found success in human contact. All the other people in the piece are separate from each other. Love the ruler and your story about it!

The Artful Eye said...

Lisa, this is a wonderful body of work. I went back to see where this all started because I wasn't here from the start.

I love your interpretations and the added found objects.

As the viewer, I am tricked by the imagery. I am on the ground, I'm in the air, I'm above looking down.

This piece is extraordinary.

Very powerful!

Trijnie said...

Bin away to long, you worked hard.
Very beautiful collage

Bev said...

Great image, and I know this addresses one of your major themes, the experience of children. Using the ruler is a cool twist, seems to be Billy Apple influenced.

Irene said...

Hi Lisa, I stole it!

dianeclancy said...

Hi Lisa,

Very cool collage!! WOW!

~ Diane Clancy
www.DianeClancy.com/blog
www.YourArtMarketing.com