"Origins"
The first time I saw Sean Mundy’s work I was amazed. Sean Mundy is a surrealist photographer. He takes basic images and manipulates them in a way that makes you think deeper about what your eyes are actually seeing. When I look at “Origins” the first thing I notice is the giant red smoke rising to the sky from a single persons silhouette. The red smoke stands out to me against the gray and misty sky and the black silhouettes of people resembling shadows. This photograph contains contrast that is noticeable without having to stare at the image too much. I also feel that there could be many explanations to the meaning behind the photograph.
Red is the color of extremes. It’s the color of passionate love, temptation, anger, violence, danger, and adventure. Our prehistoric ancestors saw red as the color of energy and primal life forces. Most of red’s symbolism today arises from its powerful associations in the past. I connect Mundy’s use of red and his title for the photograph “Origins” to mean that following the red smoke is like following the path that modern society has laid out before us. In the photograph everyone is seeking the person with the red smoke. It is like an uphill battle, or a quest the feel they must take. Almost like life itself. “Origins” is a photograph that I would hang in my home because I find the colors, along with whatever message one pulls from the image to be shockingly refreshing. It could serve as a reminder to be yourself at all times.
Image Credit: Sean Mundy Fanpage
Red is the color of extremes. It’s the color of passionate love, temptation, anger, violence, danger, and adventure. Our prehistoric ancestors saw red as the color of energy and primal life forces. Most of red’s symbolism today arises from its powerful associations in the past. I connect Mundy’s use of red and his title for the photograph “Origins” to mean that following the red smoke is like following the path that modern society has laid out before us. In the photograph everyone is seeking the person with the red smoke. It is like an uphill battle, or a quest the feel they must take. Almost like life itself. “Origins” is a photograph that I would hang in my home because I find the colors, along with whatever message one pulls from the image to be shockingly refreshing. It could serve as a reminder to be yourself at all times.
Image Credit: Sean Mundy Fanpage
