Introduction
The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to the development of the online exhibition industry. Such showcases allow for the promotion of demonstrators’ goods and services without the restriction of place or time and provide direct communication between vendors – exhibitors and potential buyers of the exposition. This paper will discuss the online exhibition “Childhood,” created by Mary Ellen Mark. She is a professional photographer, and the entire exhibition consists of her work. The exhibition is intended to evoke in the viewer a sense of nostalgia for the times of childhood.
Main body
To begin with, to get into the atmosphere of the exhibition, it is necessary to discuss its contents. It includes photographs of kid from all walks of life and social backgrounds, from street children in Seattle to circus performers in India. The exhibition aims to immerse the viewer in the ambience of childhood of young people from all over the world and remind them of their own experiences (National Museum of Woman in the Arts). Mary Ellen Mark has captured children in various settings, statically and while playing. The exhibition also includes some of the photographer’s previous works that depict young women. They reflect beautiful events from the author’s childhood. A special place in the works of the exhibition is occupied by the interaction of the characters, captured in the photographs, with everyday objects. These are the objects that are the usual attributes of childhood – furniture, toys, outfits. Interaction with them helps the viewer better feel the atmosphere of childhood in different parts of the world.
Among the works in the exhibition, the one that impressed me the most was a photo taken in New York City at the Toys R. It shows three girls in princess costumes posing next to a man in a Batman costume (Mark). This work excited me because it reflects the children’s desire to believe in heroes and magic. Children have the purest belief in wonder and can see it all around them. Thus, this picture reminds me of the need to keep faith in heroes in adult life.
Summary
To summarize, Mary Ellen Mark’s exhibition tells its viewer about the experiences of children from around the world. The exhibition is intended to evoke in the viewer a sense of nostalgia for everyone’s childhood days. The photographer has skillfully played with the life situations of children, showing how different childhood can be. Among the works of the author, there are photos both static and in motion, which adds dynamics to the narrative.
Works Cited
National Museum of Woman in the Arts. “Mary Ellen Mark: Girlhood.” National Museum of Woman in the Arts, Web.
Mark, Mary Ellen. “Batman and Little Barbies at the Toys ‘R’ Us Holiday Parade, New York, 2002”. National Museum of Woman in the Arts. Web.