ABSTRACT
The American flag overwhelmingly labels the black torso. Black skin and the flag, elements around which many people experience great personal and social sensitivity, are simultaneously presented to the viewer. The photograph of the young man might merely symbolize support for a favorite sports team in a hot stadium. But the absence of other fans and more importantly body language contradict this notion. There seems to be more resignation than tension in the body, as if in capitulation. For the image to be glitzy the lighting would have to be adjusted to fill in the shadows, to be "brighter"—the flag should be a near perfect replica, and the body would need to stand straighter. During a politically polarized time, left versus right is an almost unavoidable discourse asserting itself through the flag's reversal. The only way for the viewer to remedy this experience is by putting herself or himself into the body of the black young man and looking out.
