Wednesday, October 15, 2008

The Power of the Picture

In both my MySpace bulletin announcing the article and my letter congratulating the photographer, I used the word "finesse" in describing Ryan Hodgson-Rigsbee's images of Winfield 2008. I hope you'll visit to see what I mean. (http://www.hodgsonrigsbee.com/)It was difficult choosing one image to accompany the letter to my old friend, but the blue tent/blue sky/blue port-a-potty was imminently powerful for several reasons. First, it immediately separates 2008 from every other "Winfield". That photo could never have been taken at either the Walnut or Pecan Groves. Also, I love the way the sky shows both the power of the storm that has just passed and the incredible clarity and calm that was about to descend on both the tent and the plastic shitter. Certainly, it would be far too academic for an admitted Old Folkie to go on about how both structures are temporary representations of our "real lives" relocated to a place where our "real" lives should perhaps be. Sorry, you'll have to get there on your own. I will, however, mention that there is a "forth blue" that is not immediately apparent - the native stand of Little Bluestem grass that everywhere surrounds Winfield Lake - mowed down strategically to make way for the tents, shitters, and everything else that eventually followed. This grass likely grew here long before any of us, or any of our ancestors thought to draw taught string over boxes of wood to accompany the pure joy of living on this earth, atop that hill, under that perfect sky.

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1 comment:

Gamma said...

Hi, I am doing some research on Kansas for a web site. I was wondering if you could e-mail me back about the magic of Winfield and anything about the Walnut River Festival History.