Arthur Tress

From 1962-66, Mr. Tess traveled throughout Europe as well as through Egypt, Mexico, Japan and India, documenting the culture and customs of each place. He was fascinated by the roles that the shaman, the range of beliefs and practices to communicate with the spiritual world, within the cultures would play. Ultimately this played a large role in influencing his later works. Several of his portraits have a sense of surrealism - this one, Bride and Groom, is an extreme example. I think the intent of this photo is a statement of how the bride and groom, once married, become an "item." They become one. These two people could be thought of simultaneously - you mention one person and automatically think of the other. It's a gain and a lost of identity. It looks like the figure is standing inside a church, which strengthens the intent of this photo driving toward the message of what results from marriage. What makes this portrait good is not only the use of contrast between lights and darks so that the figure stands out against the background, but also how the figure is expressed as two people. The figure is standing at the center and creating a strange balance. It is an asymmetrical balance through the figure, but it's through this that creates the implication of two separate people. If the figure was off to one side of the frame, the effect wouldn't be nearly as strong.