Picture Day

I am really enjoying these Photoshop/collage works by Dutch artist Ruud van Empel. They so take me back to the annual experience of picture day during elementary school. In fact, I’m pretty sure that the auditorium curtains we were arranged in front were the exact same goldish-yellow color.

(Ruud van Empel, Generation 1, 2010, Chromogenic Print, Dibond, Plexiglass, 49 × 130 inches.)

I love the varying degrees of staidness, skepticism and aloofness conveyed in the faces of the children. And they look like they are all just a few outfit changes away from the adults they will become.

(Ruud van Empel, Generation 2, 2010, Chromogenic Print, Dibond, Plexiglass, 49 × 130 inches.)

I also love how the dress of all the students is so reminiscent of the effort that was put into making sure you looked your best on picture day, be it your parent’s or your own version of what that was.

(Ruud van Empel, Generation 3, 2011, Chromogenic Print, Dibond, Plexiglass, 49 × 130 inches.)

Then there was always that kid (I’m pretty sure it was me at least once) who forgot it was picture day and showed up obviously looking like no thought had been put into the day whatsoever. At least they always scheduled another day for retakes. (What a funny concept that is!)

*Click through the images to enlarge the images on Rudd Van Emple’s site