I photographed this version of “The Naked Emperor” in Aberdeen, Scotland, but I understand that the figure is found in many European cities. The artist signs his work, “Edward von Lõngus,”which I understand is a pseudonym meant to hide his real identity, in the Banksy tradition. I made the photograph along a very old, narrow street in an area of Aberdeen where there is a lot of other street art.
I’m often a bit uneasy about making photographs of street art and graffiti, but sometimes the work is not just the imagery itself, but where and how it appears. Seeing this in a book would be a very different experience than seeing it on a concrete wall on this dark, narrow street — and my intention is to try to convey some of that context in the photograph. When you look at the strutting naked emperor, you are, of course, free to make your own associations.
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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email
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