27 October

Maria and the donkeys. What is happening? (I think)

by Jon Katz
Emotions, back and forth

The photographs of Maria and the donkeys seem to touch a nerve all over the country, as I’ve learned on book tour and elsewhere. Maria has her own life, her own identify as an artist, and I try not to photograph her too often. But I can’t stop taking these photos,they are so powerful. People have been saying the donkeys are expressive, and offering their own theories about the emotion.

I’ve been saying all over the country that I believe women and animals are having a conversation,one that is rich and evolving. Lulu is not smiling, in my mind, or saying anything. She is exchanging emotions with Maria, which is, I believe how animals love. Animals like donkey’s and dogs are extraordinary readers of human emotion – the donkeys are even more sensitive to this than the dogs, I think. And women tend to show more emotion than men, a generalization but largely true. Maria is a person with a lot of emotion, and they are close to the surface. If she is angry or sad or happy, you know it. Lulu sees this, and reacts to it. It is a palbable, almost visible exchange, a communication beyond language and without words. But it is showing up in the photos I think, and something special and beautiful to see. That’s my theory.

I’ll post a topic on Facebook for people to post theirs.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email SignupFree Email Signup