Japanese Space Agency / Toshiba, Kawasaki City, Japan Possibly 1989 - 2006

Lewis Baltz took this photograph, “Japanese Space Agency / Toshiba, Kawasaki City, Japan,” with a camera, of course, but it’s what he chose to point it at that gets me going. The blacks are so deep, like a stage set, or maybe a void. I’m drawn to the wall, dotted with what could be targets or connection points. See how the white cables trace a loose, almost human form? It’s like a ghost in the machine, a reminder that even in the most sterile environments, human presence is felt. The coolness of the palette makes you feel like you're in the room. Baltz reminds me a bit of Bernd and Hilla Becher, with his deadpan aesthetic and focus on industrial landscapes. But there’s something more poetic here, a sense of mystery that transcends mere documentation. It leaves space for questions, for wandering, for seeing the world with fresh eyes. And that's what art is all about, right?