Muhammad Ali by
Gordon Parks was among a series a photographs shot during the late 1960’s/
early 1970’s. This particular photograph, shot by Gordon Parks, was captured in
Miami, Florida in 1966 and later, became the Life magazine cover in 1970. This
image captures a sweat stained Muhammad Ali just moments after he exited the
ring. During this period, he was training for an upcoming match against Henry
Cooper, a British boxer. At first glance, you can tell that this photograph is
harsh by the lighting and the black and white contrast. By the sweat dripping
off of Muhammad Ali’s chin as well as the rest of the body, you can gather that
he is fatigued and thinking about his training and what the future holds for
him. Gordon Parks displayed a constant them of racial segregation, poverty,
black urban life as well as freedom through out his career. He captured
African-American experiences that really put you at the scene of the photograph
and I think that this is definitely the case when it comes to this photograph
of Muhammad Ali. Gordon Park’s use
of harsh light in the front illuminates not only his chest but also his eyes
that are staring off into the distance. This gives the viewer a strong feeling
of what the mood is, uncertainty and vulnerability. Ali is looking away from us
and you can gather that he is caught in a moment of indecision and confusion. The
face that his whole body takes up the entire frame shows that he is the only
focus of this photograph. This melts away all stereotypes and cockiness of a
young athlete and puts him on a level with everyone else, as he is just trying
to regain his place and confidence. This photograph of Muhammad Ali allows us
to view him as a regular person instead of a sports icon or a higher figure.
I also find the lighting in this photograph particularly striking. While, as you pointed out, the stark contrast between light and dark does add to the harshness of the photo, I believe that it could also represent the inner turmoil felt by Ali. I agree that the mood of the photo seems to be one of uncertainty and this struggle between light and dark in the image adds to this message. Concerning Ali’s gaze, I feel that perhaps he is looking beyond us and beyond that moment. I feel as though he is looking into the future, dreaming of what’s ahead of him, yet fearing what may come to pass.
ReplyDeleteI think its interesting to pick this photo, which came after the era of segregation in America. I think you highlight some wonderful points about Ali's facial expression and its meaning, Maddy. Juxtaposing this with many of Parks' other photos and messages about black urban life/freedom/segregation, I wonder how this photo would become complicated/problematized? Does this change the way that we view the photo at all? What could Parks be suggesting about these themes at this particular moment in time? Nice work.
ReplyDeleteAt first glance, merely the image alone of a black man sweating and exhausted, I think of a man enslaved. However, with the familiarity of this iconic man, I know that is not necessarily the case. The portrayal of Muhammad Ali so intimately, with mouth open, abysmal gaze, and clavicle exposed does put him on equal footing with the average human, as a "working man". His work as a boxer is somewhat represented as the work of a free man, a man that can tend to his body willfully and overcome obstacles triumphantly. The theme for me personally, is that slavery is still prevalent. Slaving towards an ideal of fame and recognition, slaving towards the dollar as we see most athletes even in modern times pursuing. This photo makes me reflect on the concept of freedom. Is it actually the freedom of the body in motion or merely a mind-set, an interpretation of one's own world?
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