Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Mixed Images...One Powerful Message

Look at this picture.  Observe it very carefully.  You can click on the pictures to isolate them and make them a little larger



Yes, you see soldiers proceeding up a street, but notice that you are actually looking at two images…..one from World War II and another from more contemporary times of the same location.
A historical mix…of sorts.

Think about the impact this could have on students of history.  Think about the connections that students could make between historical content and their surroundings.
These pictures are the work of historical expert Jo Teeuwisse from Amsterdam.  This article from the Daily Mail states she began superimposing images from different time periods of the same location after finding 300 old negatives at a flea market in her home city depicting familiar places in a very different context.

Here is a second example of her work.......



Like Miss Teeuwisse I think this process of making war scenes or any historical image have meaning by linking it to a more familiar image heightens the impact. As she states, “knowing the exact spot of some detail will etch it into your visual memory.”
Teeuwisse’s work isn’t just as simple as layering photographs, however.   She researches daily life before and during the war, interviews eye witnesses when she can and recreates certain aspects of history to gain a unique insight into that area.

Isn’t that something than any history teacher worth a grain of salt wants to do with their students?  
Of course…..part of our job description is to help students gain unique insight into the historical content we present to them.

Click through to see the pictures presented with the Daily Mail article.  Also visit the Ghosts of History Flicker page and the Facebook page here.
I’m thinking the process of superimposing images from various historical times …..The Civil War, Civil Rights and not just World War II would be a valid project for students with a little planning and guidance.

What do you think?

1 comment:

Kwizgiver said...

I think that's a great idea. I'm just not sure of the technology involved.