Bill Owens - Suburbia

What I have found really interesting about Owens' project, Suburbia is the caption for every image. The text makes so  much the difference. Let me explain why:

We have these 3 images. When you look at them you would say that for ex in the first one that it's a picture of a family having dinner or whatever. It is something normal, usual. BUT, after you read the caption/text underneath your conception changes radically. Here are the 3 captions:

1st image: "Because we live in the suburbs, we don't eat too much Chinese food. It's not available in the 
supermarkets so on Saturday we eat hot dogs."

2nd image: "I enjoy the suburbs. They provide Girl Scouts, PTA, Little League, and soccer for my kids. The thing I miss most is Black cultural identity for my family. White middle-class suburbia can't supply that. Here the biggest cultural happening has been the opening of two department stores."

3rd image: "How can I worry about the damned dishes when there are children dying in Vietnam."

Let's take the last image: would you ever think that the whole story of the image is about children dying in Vietnam? I would say no. The first things that come into your mind are probably that a woman is holding her baby in her arms, they are in the kitchen where you can see a lot of dirty dishes in the sink. And that's it! 

That shows the fact that sometimes the text makes the difference in your work and it is essential!!! Plus, he's got a book for this project so might be worth having a look at it for my book.

For all the pictures go to Bill Owens