I found these wooden figures in a crowded antique shop window. From a distance, they were lost in a mass of assorted antiques. Yet the closer I came to them with my camera, the more incongruous their relationship became. I don’t know if the shop’s owner intended to present this intimate a sculptural relationship or not, but I was able to create my own incongruous juxtaposition by isolating and then linking them both within my frame. The unclothed younger figure at right, which probably represents a baby, seems to be emerging from an ornately carved golden door, and through hand gestures, seems to be trying to make contact with the clothed and somewhat disinterested adult figure at left. I don’t know if the figures were created at different times by different artists, or if they were made as a set, but I found the manner of display suggesting a generational communication problem. There are several incongruities here – a juxtaposition of contrasting attitudes, ages, orientation, and level of clothing. I tried to make a picture that would ask as many questions of the viewer as the baby figure probably wants to ask the adult figure.
(The answers to those questions depend largely upon the context we bring to it. Are these figures religious in nature? It would be incongruous in itself to find Christian biblical figures in a Thai antique shop. Or do they represent figures from Eastern theology? Perhaps a Thai viewer, such as my frequent comment contributor Nut, would have a better context for such figures than I do. She was our guide that day in Bangkok’s weekend market, but I don’t know if she ever saw this window. I hope she may be able to add some contextual insights here.)