Art Forms in Nature 118 1928

This is one of Karl Blossfeldt’s ‘Art Forms in Nature’ photographs, where he captured the world of plants with an incredible eye. I can just imagine him there, framing the image, getting the lighting just right, and I think he’s trying to show us the secret language of plants. The abstract patterns and intricate textures are really quite something. It’s almost like he’s saying, "Hey, look at this crazy stuff that's been here all along!" It's funny, looking at this image, it reminds me of some paintings, actually! Some of the dense all-over compositions of someone like Pollock or even the obsessive detail of, say, Hilma af Klint. Blossfeldt's work really reminds us that artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and across media. They’re all just trying to figure out how to see and share what they see with the world. The possibilities feel endless!