Half sunglasses and bare buttocks in Florence Italy by Susan Hol

About "Half sunglasses and bare buttocks in Florence Italy"

by Susan Hol

About the artwork

In the foreground lies a lost and abandoned half of a pair of sunglasses. The legs and the other glass are gone. The half-glasses are hidden behind an ancient pillar. It looks at the viewer of this work, as the viewer looks between the pillars, at the bustle of the square. The half-glasses form a diagonal line with a pair of bare buttocks at the top of the image. The half-glasses light silently behind the pillar, no one comes there - except me, the photographer ;-). It's quiet up there at the statue, too. There he stands, completely naked, exposed to countless gazes looking up. The half-glasses must be less than a year old, while the statue has been on its pedestal for centuries. They know nothing of each other's existence, but together in this work they form two points of silence. Between these points, the tourists create a cacophony of sound and movement, surrounded by a number of centuries-old buildings.
It was a gift to be in Florence, Italy. It is a city with a culture shaped by philosophers and artists. I felt very much at home there, as a philosopher and artist. It was only with the crowds that I had some trouble, so for a moment I ended up at the half sunglass behind the pillar: just a little bit of peace and quiet.
I digitally edited the original photo to better show off the glasses and bare buttocks, and to make the people unrecognizable.