photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Sixty One: Signs as symbols > The Candidate, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 2008
previous | next
15-SEP-2008

The Candidate, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 2008

Since candidates for President of the United States can’t appear in person in every little city and town, a full color, life sized cardboard sign often provides a surrogate. I found this surreal cardboard likeness of John McCain staring back at me through the locked glass door of the local Republican Party headquarters at 1022 Main Street. The symbolic “behind closed doors” metaphor here is well suited to any political subject. McCain’s two-dimensional stand-in was wearing a bizarre red T-shirt promoting his candidacy, adding an unintentionally incongruous twist. I also made sure to include the credit card stickers plastered on the glass door in my image – politicians are always in need of contributions. As for that “Please use other door” request, it posed a touch of delicious irony. The rival Democratic Party headquarters was located just next door.

Leica V-Lux 1
1/200s f/5.0 at 16.2mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
Phil Douglis27-Sep-2008 19:48
This image is bound to stimulate a political response -- the subject is political in nature. The metaphor here changes as each viewer beings his or her own political focus to bear on it. Confusion is, in itself, an apt metaphor for the nature of politics in general.
Tim May27-Sep-2008 19:12
The candidate is plastered with signs which, for me, reflect confusion. Do we "honor" or "push" or use the other door. I know that this reflects my political views - but this seems a metaphor for the "candidate's" campaign - confusion.
Type your message and click Add Comment
It is best to login or register first but you may post as a guest.
Enter an optional name and contact email address. Name
Name Email
help private comment