Steve McCurry’s exhibition exuded powerful color throughout. His photos were so saturated with color that up close they resembled paintings. His portraits are also very unique, every set of eyes piercing and glistening with a melancholy but beautiful gaze.
Firstly, I wanted to discuss his scenic photography that resembled painted landscapes: Moonrise over Mumbai and Blue City. What I think added to the “painting” effect of these photos was the glossy finish of the canvas these photos must have been matted on.
Moonrise over Mumbai depicted a purple sky with pink and orange hues on the building and cab roofs. What struck me the most was the lines on the building on the right. The thick moldings outlining the windows and turret are so intensely highlighted as a detail in this shot it is almost as if they were painted with a thick brushstroke.
Blue City resembles a painted landscape even more so then Moonrise over Mumbai. Firstly, the geometry of this hilltop city is so intricate and complex you wonder how, realistically, it exists. The decay of the white and blue brick throughout the image is almost so perfectly geometric it cannot be real. Moreover the red and orange hues scattered throughout the image that juxtapose the dominating turquoise hue look as if they were added in after the fact in photoshop. Finally the couple in the bottom left look very pixelized, as does the sky. As a whole, Blue City is breathtaking and captivating to any viewer but when looked at in detail you question the aesthetics and their validity.
Secondly, I wanted to discuss his portraits. While the various portrait images also resembled paintings — due to their similarly saturated hues and blurred, glossy backgrounds — what demands the viewer’s attention are the subject’s eyes.
Nomad Girl is a beautiful portrait of a beautiful young girl. The portrait within this exhibition severely juxtaposes other photographs that capture poverty or tragedy. Here one can only assume this girl has at least some money in order to afford her stunning hijab of delicate gold-like and red fabrics. Her delicate frame and large eyes suggest that she is young. Her eyes captivated me because regardless of how young she may actually be, I can only imagine how much she has seen in her lifetime that has aged her in terms of maturity. The only detail that makes me doubt she is from a more affluent class is the dirt on her right arm. This portrait particularly reminded me of another Steve McCurry portrait: the world famous portrait of the Afghan girl. While the two girls’ hijabs greatly differed their eyes were both piercing and their youth was juxtaposed with the tragedy they are surrounded by. You can’t help but notice McCurry’s distinctive portrait style.
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