At the Pace Galleries’ Irving Penn exhibit, this particular photo stood out to me the most. I had no idea what the significance a turkey’s head held in the world of beauty. The photo was a part of the Extreme Beauty section of the gallery.
However, after reading the review of the photo by Nora Ephron in one of the magazines they had on display, everything made sense. The writer started off by stating how much of the outward appearance of a person was fake. People cover themselves with makeup or accessories so that one would never know what lies hidden beneath this mask. However, the author states that one of the hardest parts to cover up is the neck. Apparently, the photo was placing a great deal of emphasis on the neck of the turkey. While people can look 35 when they are actually 45 nowadays, she claims that you can tell how old or aged someone is by looking at their neck. I never had much reason to stare at people’s necks and don’t plan on doing so anytime soon, but I thought it was pretty cool. It was an interpretation of the photograph I would have never come to the conclusion of making. It was interesting to see how Irving Penn even decided on taking a picture of a turkey’s head to be a part of the Extreme Beauty portion of the gallery.
Leong, I’m so glad you put the image within the context in which it was made! It is important to try and recognize concepts you don’t immediately imagine’ and, now that you’ve also read an essay by the great Nora Ephron, you have something more to say. Nice work. (Perhaps one day you’ll start noticing people’s necks.)
Jeong Woo, I noticed this too! I thought it was extremely out of place considering that most of Irving Penn’s photographs was of fashion photography. Seeing beautiful women in pretty dresses and then seeing this picture being depicted as “extreme beauty” was oddly refreshing. I thought it was because of irony that it was labeled like that or because beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But now because of your post, I understand the meaning. Great post!