Equivalent 1934

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, ‘Equivalent’, which shows only sky and clouds, using a camera and film. The range of greys almost makes me think of a charcoal drawing. I can imagine him looking up, framing the shot, waiting for the right moment, just like when I wait for the right color to mix on my palette. The clouds are everything. A dark, looming mass dominates the top left, contrasting with the lighter, almost wispy clouds towards the upper right. This contrast creates such a strong feeling, like the sky is breathing or about to burst! Thinking about the surface, it's smooth and matte, which pulls me in. Looking at how the light catches the edges of the clouds, you get a sense of volume and depth. It’s interesting that Stieglitz called these pictures ‘Equivalents’, because like the symbolist painters he seemed to believe that art could convey inner states of being, thoughts and feelings. Like Georgia O'Keefe's paintings of flowers, what you see is never just what you see. Art is always about more than one thing.