Visual rhetoric paper

Module Visual Rhetoric Paper Photography is an interesting work of art employed by artists to appeal to the emotions of their audiences, intelligence and logic as well as highlight the issues facing the contemporary society. Ken Hermann is one of the most renowned artists in the current times whose photography has earned him a place in the world of photography and a number of prestigious awards including the Sony World Photography Award in 2014. The photograph discussed in the paper is one of the most striking in his “ Survivors” series (World Photography Organization). The photograph tells a story of the Bangladesh acid-attacks victims. It features a young woman who is clad in a yellow outfit and a white hijab. The black background creates a huge contrast which is a notable aspect about the photograph. The woman’s face is covered with scars from the acid attack. The photographer has effectively conveyed his message on the plight of the acid survivors in Bangladesh and is calling on his audience to empathize with the victims and do something about it.
The photograph is about a story of how women are disfigured following the inhumane and violent acid attacks. Victims of these attacks live in perpetual fear and agony. Beauty means a lot to a woman and when her face is scarred she is left in despair and experiences low self-esteem. The notable photograph shown below highlights the resilience and bravery of a mutilated victim of an acid attack. Her dreams and hopes were fragmented in seconds (World Photography Organization). Reconstructive surgeries and medical treatment to the victims of acid attacks are just but a dream. This is owing to the fact that these services are hard to come by and are highly expensive. This means that the victims of similar attacks live with the scars for a lifetime. They are faced with a high level of stigmatization in society. They also face the task of establishing a new life and facing life with hope in spite of the challenges that they could be facing. The photograph depicts that majority of acid victims are women who are under thirty five years old.
Ken Hermann: Survivor
(World Photography Organization)
The photographer is trying to get his audience to feel the plight of the woman based on features on the photograph. The scars on her face are clearly defined showing her pain and struggle (World Photography Organization). There is no smile on her face which indicates that she was emotionally scarred by the acid attack. The look on her face is blank depicting the emptiness that she could be feeling following the acid attack.
The photograph is one of the most notable works of art in recent times which appealed to the emotions of many people across the globe. Additionally, it highlighted the plight of acid victims in Bangladesh and called on the government and international organizations to do something about it.
Work Cited
World Photography Organization. Ken Hermann Denmark Portraiture. Web. 2014.