Patas Monkeys, Racine Zoo, Wisconsin 1987

Volker Seding captured this image of Patas Monkeys at Racine Zoo, Wisconsin. The composition is fascinating, constructed almost entirely from straight lines; rectilinear bars framing an ersatz rocky landscape. I can’t help but see the humour in Seding’s picture, the way he contrasts the hard geometry of the cage with the fluid, lively monkeys inside. There's a real sense of depth, layers of bars receding into space. The cool greens and browns of the enclosure are offset by the orange-red fur of the monkeys. The monkey in the lower right, its gaze direct, is particularly striking. The curve of its spine and the angle of its head add a dynamic touch that contrasts with the rigid structure of the cage. The deadpan quality of Seding’s image reminds me of the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, but with monkeys! It’s a photograph that embraces contradiction, raising questions about nature, artifice, and the act of seeing itself.