Quinceanera, Elizabeth Park
Artist
Christine Breslin
(b. 1948)
Daten.d.
MediumGelatin silver print
Dimensions6 x 6 1/2 in.
ClassificationsPhotograph
Credit LineGift of the artist
Object number2007.61
DescriptionThis photograph, set in Hartford's Elizabeth Park, captures a moment during a young girl's Quinceañera. This traditional celebration, originating from parts of Latin America, marks her transition from girlhood to young womanhood on the occasion of her fifteenth birthday. The focus of the image, however, is not on the young woman but nearer the two children who are part of the service. Their role is to carry the pillows that hold the girl's high heel shoes and tiara. Her first pair of high heels symbolizes her passage into womanhood, and the tiara symbolizes that she will always remain a princess in the eyes of her family and loved ones. As the young woman in the photograph is already wearing her heels and has already been crowned, her moment has passed. The focus is now shifting toward the children, and the photograph has frozen this moment in time, with the center of the composition literally being the space between the children and the young adult.The subject of the photo is time itself. Breslin wanted to make the viewing the photo like viewing a memory by vignetting the corners. The ghostly grayscale is reminiscent of daguerreotypes. The effect is partially due to the type of camera Breslin used, a plastic Holga, prone to slight distortions and light leaks. The Holga not only helped her achieve this flashback-like appearance, but it also allowed her access to this private, intimate celebration. No one found the little camera to be intrusive. As important as the figures are in this photograph, another prominent feature is the park itself. Using Elizabeth Park's iconic rose trellises highlights the importance of Elizabeth Park to its local community.
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