Linsy Fusch

July 11, 2009

Matt Kelley

An Alec Soth Photograph is Worth the of the American People

The Last Days of Bush, by Alec Soth, is a collection of photographs that capture

the effect the Bush administration has had upon the country for the last eight years. The

series consists of thirty-six photographs along with one poem and a line of text from the

same poem. Some of the photographs are arranged while others are candid. The

photographs were shot in an array of locations within the United States; ranging from

the east coast of New York to California’s west coast. Many of the photographs in the

series were shot in Minnesota, Soth’s home state. The photographs shot within

Minnesota are the issues that Soth feels are most detrimental to America. Through the

many images in the series Soth has been able to capture the contention between the

American people and the Bush Administration; therefore giving it’s people a voice. This

voice speaks for the emotions of such tragedies that have outraged Americans such as;

the economic crisis, September 11th, and Hurricane Katrina.

One photograph that evokes the emotions of these tragedies is the third in the

set, entitled, “Walker, Minnesota”. This arranged photo consists of a mounted deer head

upon the blank canvas of a white wall. The head of the deer is not preserved but instead

a bare skull. Soth chose this type of mounted head to represent the death of the animal,

along with the dilapidated spirit America has acquired in recent years. The economic

recession has been one of the many tragedies that have left Americans feeling
rundown, jobless, homeless, and hopeless. The dry barren skull of the deer is the

American people who have been drained of all funds, opportunity and faith in their

government. Soth chose to utilize the set of dice in the photo to represent the gamble

made with money by the government over the last eight years. The opinion of the

American people is shown as one of distrust and uncertainty, much like that of a

gamble. Soth poses the question of, how is one able to trust a government that has

promised resolution with personal finance when they themselves can’t resolve their own

financial ruin.

This feeling of distrust between the American people and the government is

further established by Soth through the antlers of the deer in the photo. The deer has

four horns on each antler creating eight horns total, meant to represent Bush’s years in

office. The antlers are separated and put onto sides. It is meant to be a metaphor for his

two terms. Hanging from the antlers are dice. The dice hanging from the left set of horns

display snake eyes, or two ones. Immediately a punctum is seen, two ones, side by side

make an eleven. September eleventh, a date that will live in infamy within American

history and the history of George W. Bush’s presidency. During this time rumors were

circulating that Bush was aware of the attacks prior to the date and some even said that

he was involved. Many in America had mixed feelings towards the republican but chose

to re-elect him in two thousand and four. The public took a risk and made a gamble in

his re-election. That gamble is noted, and expressed by Soth for the people through the

dice. It is a representation of the people’s note of uncertainty the future would have. It’s

a feature of the image that allows the voice of the American people to express their

regret and realization that they made a mistake.

 This same distrust felt by the people continues to build through the right side of

the photograph. George W. Bush’s second term is represented through the right side of

the antlers. Here are another set of dice that display the number eight. This eight

represents August, the month in two-thousand and five when Hurricane Katrina hit the

Gulf Coast. This can also be seen through the Mardi Gras beads that hang from the

antlers as well. Mardi Gras is a celebration and tradition of New Orleans, Louisiana, the

area most affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Mardi Gras beads are a powerful symbol

for the culture of Louisiana. Soth placed the beads haphazardly among the antlers to

show the carelessness and lack of responsibility shown by George W. Bush during the

rescue efforts. The use of the Mardi Gras beads is a bold move by Soth; it captures both

the negligence of Bush and FEMA. The use of the beads is ironic in the context of

Hurricane Katrina and the lack of attention given to it. The beads themselves are eye

catching, dazzling, glamorous but the situation of Katrina was not. The beads are the

first items in the photo that stand out, grabbing the attention of the eye. This attention

from the beads in the photo makes for irony in the matter that during the aftermath the

government abandoned of the Gulf Coast. This abandonment felt by Americans and the

people of Louisiana is explicit in the photo. These are events and emotions that won’t

soon be forgotten and will cast a shadow upon his legacy; following him throughout his

life.

Soth captures this same shadow in the photograph through the use of harsh

lighting. Extreme lighting in the photograph against the mounted deer head emits a

shadow behind the head itself, visually seen upon the wall. This shadow is not only

visually eye catching but also a representation of how Bush’s legacy as the forty-third
president. Bush’s mistakes are being examined and people are voicing their opinions

toward his actions. This shadow will follow him, where ever he goes. In the photograph

the shadow is another emotion expressed through Soth for the American people. It’s an

“ah ha” moment, that what goes around comes around. Bush may be out of office and

free from the duties of his presidency but his legacy will following him for the rest his life.

Aesthetically the light is unpleasing to the eye. This is a representation of Bush as an

eye sore to both the American people and the occupation as president. He has not only

disgraced America but has also managed to disgrace the highest seat in US

government.

Through talent, creativity, and use of the camera Alec Soth is able to capture the

emotions of the American people towards Bush and his administration. Soth touches on

subjects including the economy, September 11, and Hurricane Katrina. These topics

have been seen as the most high profile in Bush’s career and the ones that the

American people have the most opinions towards. In the photo “Walker, Minnesota”

Soth manages to touch on each of these topics while expressing the opinion of

Americans. Through this photograph and the collection as a whole Soth tells the story of

the Bush administration, completely uncensored. This story helps not only Soth express

his frustration but also expresses the dissatisfaction of the American people. “The Last

Day’s of W” is a brilliant collection of the last eight years and chronicles the problems of

our country. From this photo collection America can learn from its mistakes and grow

more effectively as a whole.

Very good work especially for the first draft of the first paper. You really pushed the image

further than the class discussion did and the organization and strategy of describing and

then connecting to the Katrina issue and the forceful detail of the description all worked

for me for sure.

I do feel as though the paper sort of ends too abruptly and that thesis isn’t as clear as it should be

(see comment 5). I think you should consider also my comment 23 which will give you

better focus.

Correct the smaller issues I marked (all of which will help your writing seem both less repetitive

and more active all at once).

Nicely nicely done. I’ll grade this at a very high B+ . I’m quite happy with your start here to the

class.