I've Just Seen A Face
Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 8:14AM Today is my birthday. It’s also the birthday of my brother, Mike. He was born in the same year as I was. That makes us twins. Duh.
Staying with the twin theme, I present two photographs of myself that were taken this past weekend. On the right is a photo of me dressed to attend a fetish fashion show. I’ve got on a pair of snug fitting vinyl pants, mock alligator skin boots, and a beautifully explosive shirt. Standing in front of my drums, I’m ready to go out. Socialize. Engage with people. Have fun. Be myself out in the world and connect to life. I think I convey all of that pretty well in the photo.
On the left is a photo taken few days later. While the photo on the right communicates something rather overtly through dress, expression, and scenery, the one on the left is just my face, with neutral expression, dress, and background. So I had this question for myself: What was my face communicating? Just my face, all on it’s own. What did one see when they looked at me? I strove for general neutrality so that whatever was being expressed had to be inferred not by what my face was doing, but what my face was saying.
Now here’s the fun part. I’m asking YOU: What do you see? Can you see a story on my face? Can you see emotion even though I’m attempting to be emotionless? What am I communicating to you through nothing but my face? Are the eyes truly the window to the soul? If you choose to participate, try and go beyond just saying “You look (blank).” If you can, don’t just tell me what you see looking back at you. Tell me who you see.
Later in the week, after I’ve read and responded to any comments, I’ll tell you what I see. I’ll tell you who I see.
And remember that when you look at me, when you look at anybody, you’re looking into a mirror. It’s not a perfect mirror, but one that has it’s own image in it as well as your own reflection. The wonder of it is trying to discern what part of the image coming back to you is yours and what part is theirs. What is your own reflection, and what is being communicated by what you're looking at? And is it all really the same thing?
By the way, happy birthday Mike. I love you....
©2009 Clint Piatelli. All Rights (and a twin mirror image of Wrongs) Reserved.
Clint Piatelli
FOLLOW UP TO THIS POST: Now I remember why I don't usually post something the same day I write it: because it doesn't give me sufficient opportunity to mold and edit the piece. I wrote "I've Just Seen A Face" this morning and posted it immediately because I wanted to post something on my birthday. But it's clear to me now that this was not the best decision, because what I wanted to communicate did not get....communicated.
My attempt was to solicit a response from you, using my face as a mirror, that would say something about you. I wanted you to share what you saw and then see it as a reflection of yourself. Not as an analysis of my mug. Re-reading the piece eight hours later, I realize that I didn't communicate that very well. I alluded to it in the second to last paragraph, but I was trying to be subtle. I should know better.
Scratch this whole post. I won't remove it, because it stands as a stark rerminder for me to look before I leap. Or at least wait, edit, ponder, tweak, ponder some more, and then leap. It's my least favorite post yet. And it happened on my birthday. Oh well, fuck it.
Being Yourself, Musings 
Reader Comments (2)
What I saw was a man wondering where his birthday cake was. Happy birthday, John. Do you need a trumpet player to help you blow out the candles? I missed you Sunday.
Thanx Glen! I would have loved to have been there as well. And a trumpet player of your caliber is always welcome. In any situation.