Observation
- In this photo Fosso is portrayed as a boxer. He is a heavyweight boxer due to the size the subject appears in the photo with his muscle mass. The boxer is wearing white trunks and white shoes. His head is slouching backwards showing defeat, pain, or fatigue. He is standing in a soldier like posture in a squared position from his shoulders to his feet. His hands are behind his back, and they look like they are either folded or bound together. There are five arrows piercing the boxer's skin, and none of the arrows pierce him through his white shorts. Blood dripping down his black skin, and none of his blood stains his white shorts or shoes. Four arrows pierce his upper body, and one is in his right leg. He is trying to stand in a firm position, but his facial expression and head position shows that he is in pain.
Inference
- The first thing I thought of after seeing this image was, Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer ever. The appearance of the boxer in this photo resembles Ali with his size and the trunks and shoes that are similar to what Ali would fight in. I am referring to Ali also because of the battles he had fought outside of the ring due to his skin color and religious beliefs. Ali was known as a Civil Rights leader outside of the ring and has been criticized and incarcerated due to his beliefs. Ali formerly known as Cassius Clay, converted to the nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. It is known that he hated his name that was given at birth due to the name's slavery background. Ali was also targeted for not joining the army once his name was drafted to go to Vietnam. He did not want to fight a war for a country that did not give his culture equal rights. Some may say blacks were already fighting a war in the United States. Ali made his voice clear for Blacks opposing the Vietnam war, and was sent to jail for a short period. In Taylor's piece on Fosso she quotes him here referring to westerners, "It's about the things they did in the past, and the things that they continue to do. On the surface they cover it up, but beneath the surface it's the same as ever." I use this quote because its meaning resembles the picture and for what icons such as Ali stood for. The photo above shows a black boxer who may appear "satisfied" in the spotlight or the ring, but he is really hurting in the inside due to the everyday struggles he deals with because of his skin color and beliefs. The white trunks and white shoes symbolize the white culture, which is never targeted, and so there are no arrows striking the white clothing, and no blood dripping on them. The shorts and trunks are a symbol for the white media and culture covering up black oppression to show that they are not suffering, but really they are which explains the arrows striking the black skin and causing blood to drip down like tears from one's eyes.
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