When was the last time you saw, heard,
or felt something that made you literally stop where you were and ponder the
beauty of it? In the scene shown above we see a young woman, dressed in a black
turtleneck and black pants, hair pulled back into a ponytail, and black-rimmed
glasses, taking a walk. Her hand is casually lingering on her hip, her head is
turned to the left, a frown decorates her face, and her eyes are focused on
something in the distance. The building she is walking past shows a contrast of
light and dark colored brick while the dirt and debris-filled street she is
walking can be reminiscent of post-war Europe. Strategically placed between
this young woman and the building behind her stands an upright piano on plywood
platforms engulfed in flames. Although beauty is oftentimes sought after in
perfection, sometimes it is through the destruction of an object that it then
becomes beautiful.
The entirety of this photograph is
in black and white, giving the viewer a sense of significance and solemnity,
which is accentuated by viewing the look on the young woman’s face. It is
interesting to note that her gaze is not focused on the burning piano behind her,
but instead on something in front of her. This young woman is on a journey, and
does not stop to digest the destruction. She keeps walking, as depicted by the blurred
movement lines on her lifted right foot. The beauty noted by this action is
that while the burning piano is out of place, on fire and outdoors, this young
woman keeps walking.
She seems to be oblivious to the burning
musical instrument behind her, yet we suspect that cannot be. The heat of the
flames makes her warm, the sound of the strings burning and popping alerts her
ears, while the smell of the wood and veneer burning signals her nose. This
piano on fire is not beautiful in the sense of destruction, but through the
destruction beauty can be found in the way it affects the senses of the young
woman.
While at first this picture portrays to
the viewer a sense of gloom, devastation, and confusion, it is then through
those initial feelings we can appreciate the warm, musical qualities that it
exhibits through the two framed focal points: the beautiful young woman and the
burning piano. Beauty can be defined as something that makes you stop, think,
and appreciate.
We all have a choice to see beauty
every day of our lives. We can relate to the old dilapidated building in the
background by witnessing destruction in front of us, but still having the
ability to stand tall. We can connect with the young woman who is on a mission-
a journey- in her life and while she passes by destruction, she chooses to keep
walking. In contrast, we can be like the piano who, when under fire, is still
able to give warmth and a musical quality to those who see our despair. Finding
beauty through destruction is your choice, and a choice that will affect the
viewers of your life.