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Untitled (Dad 1966) by Mali and Gabe

aaxinn's picture

Untitled (Dad 1966)

 

A 3.5 x 2 foot polaroid photograph lies within a 4.5 x 3 foot white frame. There is white space that fills the frame between the edge of the photograph and the white frame. A one inch border surrounds the photograph, appearing distressed and aged with the color yellow visible around the edges. A man with almond colored skin stands slightly to the left of the center of the photograph facing the viewer. He wears a pointed army cap and an army uniform.The top of his hat peaks an inch below the top of the polaroid frame while the tip of his boots is cut off by frame.  

 

The man stares into the lense of the polaroid camera, establishing eye contact with the viewer. His eyebrows are pointed upwards, but not to the point where his forehead crinkles. The bridge of his nose is broad, covering the distance between his eyes. It extends downward to an inch above his pencil thin moustache. His mouth is open, revealing his top row of teeth and the pink of his tongue. The man appears caught in mid-sentence, which causes his chin to extend downwards to cover his neck, his lips to curl slightly upwards, and his cheeks to dimple shallowly.

 

The man’s uniform is adorned in pins and badges. His overcoat tightens at the wait with four buttons and extends down to the middle of his thighs. The jacket has four pockets, two on either side of his chest and two on either side of his hips. Above his top right pocket is a single blue and gold pin. Above his top left pocket he wears several pins that demonstrate military honors and his name. On the lapels of his coat there is a pin on either side. A sky blue rope under his epaulet wraps around his shoulder underneath his arm.Underneath the jacket, he wears a white button-down shirt and black tie. He wears loose fitting gray slacks that tuck into his black leather boots mid calf.

 

The man stands within a room with oak brown carpet and and cream-colored wall paper. The room and filled with household furniture and objects. A tribal drawing hangs in a frame on the wall behind the man’s left shoulder. There is a yellow couch with floral print and a brown floral blanket hanging over it. A wooden coffee table stands to the left of the couch, topped with a stack of books and newspaper. An additional wooden coffee table stands at his right knee covered with an ash tray, EBONY magazine, a camera.