Art of the Day Sydney Mauch Threshold by Jerry Uelsmann

The two hands hold a nest and an egg, and are unwrinkled.

The hands, nest, and egg are all colored light gray.

The hallway between the egg and the outside is darkly colored.

The wings are dark grey, but are surrounded in a space of light grey.

The inside of the hallway does not contain much light.

A light shines onto the egg from above.

The light shining on the egg casts shadows onto the hands.

Outside of the hallway is filled with light.

The picture is in perspective of the person holding the nest.

Only the person’s hands are visible.

The wings and the nest are fairly small compared to the hallway between them.

The picture is set up like a timeline from bottom to top.

The egg sits at the bottom of the image.

The hallway leads from the egg to the wings.

The wings are placed towards the top of the image.

Inside the hallway, movement is restricted. Outside there is freedom to roam anywhere.

Character- Two hands are holding a nest and an egg, which represent new life, as an animal is born out of it. The hands are unwrinkled, which relates to the thought of youth and the beginning of life. Only the person’s hands are revealed, which shows that the person’s identity does not matter so much as the life shown in the picture. The life that the person has given matters more to that person than their own identity. Color- This black and white photo reflects the world of life and death. The hands, nest, and egg are all a light gray, as they represent new life. They are not white, because they are not specifically the birth of life. They are between conception and death, therefore making them gray. The color is dark in the hallway between the egg and outside. This illustrates that even while we live, death surrounds us – in fatal accidents, health problems, etc. While we live, we must be able to deal with death. The wings are a dark grey, symbolizing death, but is in a space of light grey, which symbolizes life. The light gray, in this case, can be seen as heaven, Therefore, the wings are actually angel wings that bring one freedom and new life in heaven after death. Light- It is dark inside of the hallway, depicting the death that surrounds us as we live, and the terrors we face throughout our lives. A light shines onto the egg, proclaiming the miracle of new life. Because of this light, however, shadows are cast onto the hands, as with this new life, comes worries about it from the person who bore it. Outside of the hallway appears to be light, illustrating the hope of eternal life, freedom, and divinity in heaven. Angle- The picture is in perspective of the person holding the egg, looking through the hallway towards the outside, looking towards the future of the newly born, and watching its life go by. Only the hands are visible, establishing that we give life to the world, and showing that that life is more important to us than ourselves. Proportion- The nest and wings are rather small compared to the hallway around them. This illustrates that the birth and death of someone is insignificant compared to the life that they live. Nobody remembers someone for their birthday or death, they are remembered by what was done while alive and how their life was lived. Placement- The picture is set up somewhat like a timeline from bottom to top. The egg is placed at the bottom of the image, birth being the beginning of the timeline. The hallway and path lead to the wings and represent the years of life between birth and death. The wings are at the top of the image, symbolizing death at the end of the timeline. Setting- The picture takes place in a hallway leading to the outside from an egg, to a pair of wings, symbolizing life’s path. Inside the hallway, movement is restricted to the confines of the walls, which depicts life on earth – being stuck having to deal with what life gives. Outside of the hallway, it is open to move about wherever one wishes, representing freedom in heaven after death.