A Study in Contrast (Orange is the New Black)

This small, palm sized watercolor painting was taken from the National Archives on a recent field trip for Mr. Woodard’s Documentary Class. Painted in 1968, the eye-catching contrast of the Buddhist monks’ vibrant orange against the dark looming American tank creates the juxtaposition so key to the brilliance of the piece. The robes of the monks stand as the symbol for peace and thus directly confront the shadow of the American machinery behind them, a symbol for the violence and war against characteristically peaceful men. In addition, the sheer number of monks facing the opposite direction and walking against the tank symbolically confront America’s extremely violent involvement in (someone would call it “marching into”) the war, while also reminding audiences of the constant concern and debate over the strength and number of American troops versus the resilience and volume of Vietnamese natives. Faced with the challenge of creating both an accurate snapshot of the spirit of the moment while also creating a piece of detailed and creative artwork, this artist deliberately uses color juxtaposition to boldly yet fleetingly shed light on huge questions still being debated concerning the Vietnam War and America’s involvement in it.