In looking for a good word to describe this set of faces from many sources, I first hit upon potpourri. That seemed misleadingly fragrant, so then I wondered whether there might be an alliterative word that would work. Enter the online thesaurus.
farrago: a confused mixture
Well, that’s sort of rude but it seemed like the best of a bad lot, frankly. Who’s in charge of this language?
I found boring words.
selection, miscellany
I found misleading words for the context.
blend, conglomeration
I found words even ruder than farrago.
jumble, mess, mishmash, hodgepodge, ragbag
I found words I hear too much.
diversity, miscellany, pastiche, mash-up
I found words I’ve never heard.
gallimaufray, olio, macédoine, omnium gatherum
I found words that reminded me of songs.
medley, salamagundi
Perhaps obscurely.
Ah, look at all the lonely faces:
Where do they all come from?
– “Salamagundi” (I mean, “Eleanor Rigby”)
I did not find the word I wanted: alliterative, and connotative of a delightful surprise.
Anyway, these lonely faces come from the I-81 and from our house, in which I have lately been spending a completely unnatural amount of time. No points for guessing which are from which.
Note the big eyes & that prim little mouth.
Oh no! Dismay grater-onified.
A stunned Mr. Potato Head. Eyebrows optional.
The Tin Man lurks in the basement ceiling beams.
Once you see them in life, you can’t unsee them. Much like reading. Kids should be warned.
Barbara – LOL Let the kids fend for themselves in this . . .
A cluster dear Isabel, a cluster it is. A word used by statisticians.
Dave – Mmphm. Not as much spark as I’d like. But I’ll add it to the list.
I think you need to seek among the terms for groups of animals that invoke the human reactions to those groupings (a herd of cows; a murder of crows). I would call this photo set a mesmerization of pareidoliates (pareidolates?). Having had my pareidolia invoked, I shall feel less alone. Faces are emerging from the woodwork, computer slots — yikes! I’m surrounded!
Laurna – Good point. I just looked at one online source and a cast of faces (from a cast of falcons) seems apt, as does a pride of faces (from a pride of lions).
Isabel – you need to do more crossword puzzles. Then you would recognize “olio” instantly.
John – And maybe have to create another category: words used in crossword puzzles.