The Tank Man
This is a picture that need no caption. However, very few people know or care about the exact details of the events that transpired on June 5th, 1989. The day after Chinese troops expelled thousands of demonstrators from Tiananmen Square in Beijing (in a process that left thousands dead), the tank returning from their mission at the Square were confronted with a lone rebel. The rebel’s identity is never revealed nor that of the commander in the lead tank.
The purely symbolic act was instantly captured on video and on cameras–whether the unknown rebel deliberated planned his protest in front of the Beijing Hotel where the press corps reside is also an equal mystery. However, a video clip aired on BBC and CNN instantly and three photos (by Jeff Widener (top), Charlie Cole(middle) and Stuart Franklin(bottom)) are testaments that this act is instantly seen by the world.
In addition to creation of a culture icon–a modern day nameless, faceless Che–the photo laid bare the prejudices in the journalistic reporting. Although Franklin’s picture had the best vantage, it was Jeff Widener who was nominated for the Pulitzer and Cole who won World Press Photo. Franklin had been disadvantaged because he worked for a private firm (Magnum) whereas Widener (AP) and Cole (Newsweek) worked for mainstream media.
[...] Bookdwarf added an interesting post today on The Tank ManHere’s a small reading…thousands of demonstrators from Tiananmen Square in Beijing (in a … In addition to creation of a culture icon–a modern day nameless, [...]
Topics about Beijing | The Tank Man
April 23, 2009 at 1:08 pm
[...] of a Soveit T-55 tank and tears his shirt open, ready to die. The photo, almost a sister image to the Tank Man photo that came out from Beijing 31 years later, was the iconic image of the Prague [...]
The End of the Prague Spring « Iconic Photos
July 1, 2009 at 3:24 am
I’ve seen this picture dozens of times and every time I get a little overcome; it’s one of the most powerful images I’ve ever seen
Jeremy
January 7, 2010 at 8:44 am
[...] photograph I found, however, does appeal to me. Apparently, there were three photos published. The photos I’ve seen apparently were cropped. This photo, by Stuart Franklin, provides [...]
21 Years « Tim Slavin
June 5, 2010 at 4:44 pm
[...] of his first acts was to take a photo of his wife lifting her skirt and exposing her underwear on the Tiananmen Square. The bloodied square is a regular, conscientious feature in his work. When he took pictures of [...]
Ai Weiwei « Iconic Photos
April 19, 2011 at 9:01 am
[...] of his first acts was to take a photo of his wife lifting her skirt and exposing her underwear on the Tiananmen Square. The bloodied square is a regular, conscientious feature in his work. When he took pictures of [...]
Ai Weiwei « alistairhenning
April 19, 2011 at 2:32 pm