While I was at Walmart today I saw this poster in a bin in the back of the store. I looked through the posters (there was only two other posters, of James Dean and the dude from Animal House.) I looked at this picture and debated if I really wanted to purchase it, but eventually put it down. However, I couldn't stop thinking about it until I really thought about it.
This photograph evokes a lot of feeling from me on a variety of levels.
On one level there is the history buff within which loves that this picture was taken moments after Victory over Japan was announced on August 14, 1945. Everyone in Times Square errupted in celebration. The war was finally over! The title of this photo (given by Victor Jorgensen, who took the photo at a different angle) Kissing the War Goodbye is a beautiful way to describe what is going on both in the picture and the end of World War II.
On the romantic level I love how this spontaneous display of affection and happiness was captured, between two strangers. I always thought these two people knew each other, which is why I guess this picture never really meant that much to me before. But after seeing it today and hearing that they were just two strangers, I decided to do some research. One of the photographers, Alfred Eisenstaedt (who titled the photo V–J day in Times Square) recalled in his book "Eisenstaedt on Eisenstaedt":
"In Times Square on V.J. Day I saw a sailor running along the street grabbing any and every girl in sight. Whether she was a grandmother, stout, thin, old, didn't make a difference."
I personally would have loved it if he had taken a sequence of photos of that, of this sailor kissing every girl in sight, an old woman, a large woman, a think woman, than finally the girl in the white.
The photographer never got the names of these two people so, although many have claimed to be them, their identities have never been proven (however Edith Shain is widely accpeted as being the woman.) I think not knowing exactly who these people; thinking maybe perhaps after the photo was snapped and the streets filled with people maybe they went for a drink, but probably they did not, makes it romantic.
On a personal level this photo reminds me so much of Phonzo, specifically because it was taken in Times Square. It makes me miss him and miss New York City so much. And it makes me hope to recreate it someday...
And so, I will go back to the store tomorrow and purchase it.
I LOVE this post! It is incredible how much a simple photograph can evoke in people! I, too, thought the couple knew each other from the picture. I wonder if the photographers did catch other pictures, but disposed of them because they weren't "good enough."
ReplyDeleteThe photographer actually did take other photos of this particular sailor. I wrote that part wrong, oops. He did dispose of them, which is such a shame because I would love to see those sequence of pictures (thats what I meant).
ReplyDeleteAnd, btw, that picture is now hanging above my desk in my room :)