The Kudzu Review

This is an analysis of a Visual Art story piece composed of three images, titled “Coming Up Roses” by Rihannon Holton, which was published in the Spring 2016 issue of The Kudzu Review.

The background of all three images is an emerald green, grassy background, indicating that the photos were taken outdoors based on the shadows on the top part of the arm and the brightness underneath. The first picture is of a person’s forearm, with the palm of the hand exposed and a red rose inked on the hand. The ink is trickling down the arm, as though the person is bleeding out. It is evident that there are two people in the image because of the hand touching the lower part of the arm on the left side of the photo. The right arm has thorn like images drawn on it in green marker, with the fingers wrapping around the outside of the palm as though it is slowly trying to restrict or trap the rose. Roses are traditionally associated with femininity, thus it can be interpreted that the two limbs are representative of an unhealthy heterosexual relationship.

In the second image, the green thorns drawn on the fingers have disappeared, and the fingers that had the thorns drawn on them are interlocked with the rose-drawn hand. The absence of the thorns, the red rose, and the heart-shaped shadow behind the hands represent a stranger or an enemy who now has become a close friend or romantic partner. Additionally, the hand on the bottom-left portion of the top picture was initially in a very timid position, but is now wrapped around the forearm in a very intimate but yet almost restrictive motion, as though the person is being oppressed by their partner and is unable to get away from them.

In the final picture, the rose has disappeared from the palm and there is a hole-like indent in the crease of the palm where the center of the rose used to be, similar to the disturbance of soil that occurs when a flower is pulled out of the ground. Flowers are symbolic of life, but the red rose and the second hand that had the green thorns on the fingers is no longer there, yet the red trickling stain is still running down the arm. It appears as though the person has been unable to recover from what happened to them and is grieving the loss of the relationship, the person they used to be, and the person that they fell in love with.

The images the author chose and the way they artistically communicated their message through the use of color and positioning demonstrates a high level of artistic awareness and thoughtfulness. This is incredibly important when representing an issue that impacts so many people, with the lack of words with the images being symbolic of those who suffer from domestic abuse in silence, and the many who lose their lives at the hands of the people they once loved.

Fiona Froggett is a junior at Florida State University studying Media Communication Studies and English (Editing, Writing, and Media), and is a member of the Layout Team for the Kudzu Review. She is also involved with the Marching Chiefs, The Nineteen Ten Women’s Honorary, and the College of Communication and Information Student Leadership Council. After graduation, she plans to pursue a graduate degree and work towards a career working in government or non-profit communications.