Souvenir: A Junior Narrative Diptych by Carlo Pio di Savoia (2011)

My diptych tells a story of a man who lead a childhood filled with disorder and chaos brought on by a set of uncaring and unclean parents. As a kid he consistently found himself in turmoil, surrounded by dirty plates, a floor covered by garbage and clothes, as well as complete and utter disarray. His toys and belongings were always buried beneath piles of carelessly placed heaps of junk, mountains of clothes; He could never find anything he wanted. As he grew older and left his shoddy and messy home, he found an irresistible need to make sure that every nook and cranny was in perfect alignment and symmetry, that every shirt and pant was folded properly, and that all plates and cups were sparkling in pristine condition. Now, the problem is not all the clutter, but all of the perfection; Something which used to be a dream has now shifted into being a curse. His newly formed, constant desire for perfection causes restlessness and stress due to the fact that nothing can be out of place or unclean, and constant maintenance is required in order to preserve the sanctity of his home.

The concept of untidiness and disorder is shown quite literally in the first photo- we see a large pile of clothes with shoes, a coat hanger and a controller strewn among all of it. Hidden amongst the heap we see a pink teddy bear, barely visible due to the shrouding of a jacket. The dreary and forlorn tone are conveyed by desaturated colors. On the right hand side, we see a man at the head of the table- more specifically the boy from the past now in the present. There dozens of clean plates and cups, all lined up in symmetry with each other. At the opposing end of the table, we see the same stuffed animal from the previous picture, symbolizing how he still remembers his past and how far it is away from him, yet the man's anger expressed through his clutched hands. Is he angry at the looming dinnerware which seems to mock him in its perfection, or is he angry at the past for still lingering in his head and causing his current problems? The tone of stress and anger is shown through the dramatic shadows, as well as the red tint of the picture.