Triumvirate

Posted by Twelvebit (Victoria, United States) on 23 March 2009 in Lifestyle & Culture.

San Luis Catholic Cemetery, Yorktown, Texas.

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Comments (9)

Mike from Lichfield, United Kingdom

A photo to make you stop and think. Very nicely composed.

23 Mar 2009 6:19am

Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand

Ditto Mike. Very moving!

23 Mar 2009 7:02am

MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany

I guess this is a military cemetery...? Never seen such a flag parade in my country.

23 Mar 2009 11:01am

@MadScientist: No, just a small Catholic cemetery in a uber-Nationalist country. I've traveled in many different countries and I've never seen the kind of Nationalistic flag parades you see here in any non-authoritarian country. The flag symbolism and fetishism here is on par with that portrayed in Rienfenstahl's Triumph des Willens or an old Soviet parade in Red Square. This kind of flag fetishism is a hallmark of totalitarian regimes so I find it rather bizarre to see it cultivated and growing in a supposed democracy.

JoeB from Brampton, Canada

All ready to go crosses and flags.

23 Mar 2009 12:49pm

Zorilla from H, T & E, United Kingdom

The flags, the railing, the quiet dignity - nice composition.

Thanks for your comments on my series. In case you're interested I set myself the challenge of finding 365 graves - each day's posting commemorate someone's passing on that particular day.

23 Mar 2009 3:37pm

@Zorilla: I hate to admit being so obtuse, but I didn't catch on to the matching dates. At first thought it seems like a difficult task, but I guess if you've got access to 1,000 or so graves, you'd have a pretty good shot at finding what you need for dates.

Craig@Random Ramblings from Herts, United Kingdom

Good point of view and very poignant.

23 Mar 2009 3:45pm

grant from kansas city, United States

i have such mixed feelings about this place you're photographing. the photos themselves are so good as photos. but they also raise so many questions for me about the ambiguity of symbols like flags and toys at graves.

23 Mar 2009 4:16pm

@grant: I can't say that's not intentional. However, this is not the same cemetery where last week's images were taken. Triumvirate: Religion, Nationalism, Death. I don't think that connection was intended by whoever hung the flags and crosses on the fence, but it's what caused me to slam on the breaks, make a u-turn, and come go back to take photos.

MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany

"flag fetishism" - If I would see something similar on a German graveyard I would spend the following weekend in the Netherlands. Perhaps I would stay even longer. :-)

23 Mar 2009 4:48pm