Georgia O'Keeffe—Torso 1918 - 1919

Here we have a photograph of Georgia O’Keeffe’s torso, captured by Alfred Stieglitz. The monochromatic palette allows for an incredible play of light and shadow, turning the body into a landscape. This approach reminds us that art-making is a process, a way of seeing and interpreting the world around us through the lens of our own experiences. The texture achieved through the photographic process is so smooth it is almost hyperreal. Look how the light caresses the curves of her body, creating subtle shifts in tone that give the image a sculptural quality. The softness with which Stieglitz captures O'Keeffe's body is broken only by the strong contrast of the pubic hair. This creates an incredible tension in the image. It's impossible to see this image without thinking of O'Keeffe's flower paintings. The way Stieglitz frames and lights her body is almost certainly influenced by them. Like O’Keeffe's paintings, this photograph embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations, inviting us to contemplate the endless possibilities of art.