The photograph titled “Masked woman in a wheelchair, Pa.” was captured by the artist Diane Arbus in the year 1970. It portrays an individual in a wheelchair who is wearing a mask. The mask has an exaggerated and possibly comical facial expression with wide eyes and a toothy smile. On top of the mask, the person wears a conical hat that seems like a part of a costume. The individual is seated in a traditional wheelchair draped with a white blanket over the lap.
Beyond the striking masked figure, the background reveals a residential setting with a brick building, a window, and a tree casting shadows on the pavement. The scene’s lighting suggests daylight, and there’s a contrast between the dark attire of the individual and the bright environment. It’s a thought-provoking image that may evoke notions of identity, disability, and the everyday juxtaposed with the surreal or out-of-the-ordinary appearance due to the mask.
