Pride/"Untitled"
Jacobi illustrates the tension between old and new through her placement of the two classical-looking female busts and the real-life woman in a line with each of their faces held in the same position and profile. At the same time, the real-life woman seems to be the successor to the busts and their stark contrast. The man sitting across from these three figures then seems to represent the obsession with the new. He stares unwaveringly at the real-life woman, and she unwaveringly returns the focus back on him, as if the busts were not even there.
Though the relationship of the man and the woman remains unclear, the photograph seems to have been taken in an artist's studio and so one possible interpretation is that of the artist-muse. If we assume the man is the artist who created the busts, then he is not only ignoring old artwork in general, but his own old artwork . This interpretation suggests that the obsession with the new is not just societal, but personal. If we understand the woman, however, to be the artist then a new interpretation arises. She might have placed herself next to the busts and asked the man to look at the contrast between them, illustrating the message that people cannot rid themselves of their past and look solely at the new.
The left side of the photo is slightly blurry. Whether or Lotte intended on including this effect, the slight blurriness of the photograph makes a subtle impression on the viewer, urging the them to wonder if Jacobi was reflecting her own ambivalence regarding modernity and tradition.
