The Art of photography

IInthepictureofaSicilianboy(left)afeelingof

strangenessandforebodingispurposelyconveyed

bywhatappearstobeabreakdowninthe

photographicprocess Themakingsof

a

happy,

rather

ordinary

snapshotarehere

—

aneagerly

posingboy, atree,afence

—

buttheresultisa

grainy,overexposedimagesoblastedbylight

thatallmaterialthingsseemonthevergeofbeing

dissolved-Theviewercanonlyconcludethat

somethingiswrong—butdoesnotknowwhat

Everydayrealityisagainalteredinthis

surrealisticscenetakennearanewshoppingcenter

inParisGiganticshadowsstretch

acrossthe

ground,pointingtowardawallonwhich,itappears,

amaniswalking.Curiously,theman'sshadow

andtheshadowsonthe

groundfallinopposite

directionsItisasifthemanwalkingonthewall

livedinanotherworldwherethelawsofgravitydo

notoperateand

anothersunshinesInfactthe

walkingmanispaintedonthewall—amural

decoratingtheentrancetotheshopping

center

—

butatfirstglancehe

looksmorerealthan

therealhumanshadowsonthe

ground

FRANCO

FONTANAPresences. 1979