Ending Trends

March 3, 2008 - "Fading," by Ana Juan

In this issue, we are presented with an image that captures an older era, fading away.  The face, formed by the smoke drifting away depicts someone of a past era.  At first, I thought that the image was a silhouette of Abraham Lincoln, but upon closer examination of the image, I realized that it was someone else.  At the moment, I am still unaware as to whom is depicted on the cover, but it is clearly someone from the past.  The fact that the image is formed by cigar smoke is further evidence of a depiction of the past era because cigar smoking is something that has recently gone out of fashion.

All of this is symbolic of change that is taking place.  The man formed by the smoke reminds me of some kind of rich investor of the early 1900s.  The cigar just strengthens this thought because I often think of cigar smoking as something done in celebrations often in the presence of wealthier people.  The fact that the title is "Fading" may be symbolic of this wealthy man's wealth fading away as we, today, similarly are entering a time of economic uncertainty.

The image is a sad one.  The man is looking down and you can tell that he wears a stern expression on his face.  As we head into these troublesome times, I feel that Juan really captures what many Americans may be feeling today.  These seem like bleak times for our country, for we are surrounded by such darkness, violence, uncertainty, and despair.