Johannes Bojesen

This image by Johannes Bojesen was taken in Denmark, of a sheep trying to cross a canal in a meadow swamp. The sheep obviously drowned which I find interesting because the canal is small and looks shallow, which makes me wonder if the sheep attempted to cross at this spot or if it drowned in a larger or deeper area and was transported to this spot. Was the sheep being chased? Did it get tangled in the floating debris of plant? I find this image to be very complex due to the many different situations and possibilities which may have produced this image. This image also stood out to me because it is a good representation of nature and the complex cycle of life. The fleshy back of the sheep which was exposed to air and the terrestrial realm has been eaten or has decayed, exposing the spine of the sheep While the rest of the body which is submerged underwater remains preserved and in tact. This image is very eerie due to the circumstances of biological processes and it is also very dark and moody, due to the gray sky and lack of life elsewhere in the frame. The image itself captures death and how nutrients are recycled and redistributed to continue the cycle of life. I am very interested in art and biology and I think this image is a great representation of both subjects which is why I am so drawn to it. As far as the topic of art, this image is visually interesting and well composed and shot, and it questions the elements of life and death and the overall existence of objects in the world. From a biological standpoint this image captures the situations which enable and restrict decay, which I think is most likely the presence and absence of oxygen in this situation. The portion of the sheep above water is available to microorganisms and birds and insects, while the portion of the sheep submerged underwater is limited to the organisms that thrive in the water. Another aspect from the biological standpoint is questioning the circumstances that caused this sheep to cross the canal and drown. What is foraging? migrating? trying to escape a predator? Did it drown in this exact spot or was it transported by the water after it drowned somewhere else? This image raises all of these questions and confronts the beauty, fragility, and delicacy of life and decay of death.