Before reading the applied narrative in the text the image seems to speak of the maliability of photography, with its presentation of a seemingly true occurance; presentation of fact. It appears seemless, and true, one frame, one shot, although also with an archaic feeling grainy texture which might hide all maner of things. On closer inspection the documentation seems to be of the same object; it is only when we see them in parellel do we reasise the significance of its size of printing.
The two objects are aligned to the right, in direct comparision to each other, another element which tells of the relationship between the two items; one which would exist even if they were different objects, and different from each other; it applies an insinuated contrast in the scale, and space filled by one thing, as opposed to another.
When these items then become instruments used for measurement, it then questions firstly their function; as they are available via photography they can be rendered at any size. In the book, the inches in either ruler are not in 1:1 radio with the real measurement, or true size of either object: it is impossible to tell whether they were made this way or photography; they may really be odd sized rulers.
With text the two image/one image becomes part of a larger narrative; Lanyon's book tells the histories of three charccters who make bizarre experiments, each in they own interests and subjectjective views of life. In ther books they become defined by their own indifidual activities and how they cope with each others.
The first line on page 123, after the above image, begins to read in contrast: 'Vera admits there did actually come a time when she found herself agreeing with Walter that every form of art is dangerous, one of many from her subconscious . . .' Another play on the believeability, and truth of sight of the image presented by the author/artist, it seems to reveal the conquest of this image.
The manipulated scale also reminds me of the Marcel Broodthaers piece earlier.
