The Empty Chair Speaks

I first learned of one from a wrong turn off a Sarajevo street. How did that end? If indeed, it ever has.

Political assassination anywhere can head news feeds everywhere. So stark and shocking as they can be. Given the editor adage, 'it it bleeds, it leads' this ought also come as little surprise.

Of many noteworthy 'talking head' images seen in the aftermath of one this week, I picture above perhaps the most poignant.

The 'empty chair' of the slain.

Everything on screen holds meaning. It appears this presenting booth grew through many years' curation. Not by accident that wall poster, desk mascots, bookcase features. And pleasing corner perspective too.

When first seen, alongside came a snap of a visual podcast setting.

Which turns out to be the host's first ever. In the six months since, a further twenty-four have been posted. Mostly split-screen remote, with four further in-person, from this set. No doubt the taxpayers stumping up his gubernatorial salary are delighted.

Yet this room is surely an exercise in vapidity.

The attenuated squiggle art, the greige, the inane shelving ornaments.

Even those rugs look last-minute. A rush to the local cheapie store for a job lot as someone realises soles must be muffled.

Wonder which projection is portrait choice?

Chair now greiger. Mic got branded.

I happen to have been conducting video calls mainly on-premises lately. Happy with mainly 'hostage' or whiteboard backdrop. Seeing such a cavalcade of policy influencers this foreshadowing week, here's a couple more notable for our selling ambitions.

An American from what is strangely akin to an English country manor decor. But the chosen painting backdrop certainly drips with intent.

The London editor of a determinedly anti-MSM outlet. Alas also falling down that dominant faux bookcasing trope. Showing too the trend for striking wash of background lighting.

Discussing with someone showing the nous that comes with being part of only three from England in the Anglosphere Top 100 globally viewed podcasts. Beating virtual blur with dramatic flush for shafts of darkness with pair of ghost lights.

And finally, from the victim's last posting. Also colourfully backlit. A clip shown in the vertical split as preferred by the likes of Instagram chat.