Torn Between Two Realities

Photograph by Jessica Keller

I had the opportunity to spend some time in the Transkei last April.

That is one of my favorite images of my Transkei trip and I would like to share my view on the image. What message I want to bring across with my picture? What it makes me feel? Why I chose to convert it into black and white?

That lady looked very tired, exhausted of doing the same thing every day and I can see sadness in her eyes. If you look at her carefully there is still a glimpse of hope and strength. She has got an eagerness to get to work and to carry on with her daily life. The white cream on her face should probably protect her from the African sun, is that the real reason? 

Living in the Transkei is not easy and hard work. Women in the community get up early and cutting grass with a penga to make some money for the family waiting at home. Life can be very hard in these little villages, most of the women are stuck with a useless husband who think it is better to drink life away. They will take all the abuse and are left with no voice to raise their issues. They will walk tall and will never give up, because they are left with no other choice. They accept and carry on. 

Was the white cream on her face really just a protection for the hot sun? Or does it give the feeling of being someone else at work? Maybe she can hide her true face and the harsh reality.

The white cream might helps to hide all the sorrows that are showing on her face. She gets a break for a couple of hours from the reality at home. I was amazed how happy she was to be working, laughing with her friends, but didn't stop for one-second cutting the grass. It almost seemed like that my camera gave her the permission to look how she really felt. She didn't need to act happy anymore, she wanted me to see that she is waiting for a break. A person can look happy, act happy, but one never knows what is truly going on inside of someone's heart. 

The colors and the patterns the cream created on her face are matching the wall in the background. She almost blends into the wall... An other symbolic meaning of wanting to hide, keeping your secret and not wanting to be seen.

I converted the image into black and white because we live in a world where everything is extreme. People often just see black or white, but I wonder where have the grays disappeared to?