A Conflict of Interests

The picture is all about the gray area between good and evil. On the surface, everything seems straight forward--there's a good side and a bad side, black and white. This distinction is manifested in the split suit, the face, and even the chair itself (the legs of the chair). However, the question of absolute good and absolute evil is thrown into question by two elements.

The first is the fact that the "good" side is holding the wine glass; this is a symbol that can be interpreted as a flaw of character, such as giving into a desires of enjoyment, even when they may not be perceived as "moral."

The other element is the reversal of the association of "white" as good and "black" as evil. In this case, it is the evil side that wears white, and the good side that wears black. Again, this calls into question the position of good and evil, and how much actually falls in between these two absolutes.

Completed October 2006