Untitled (Composition with Magic Two) c. 1923

This is an untitled photograph made by Jaroslav Rössler. It offers a stark, yet intriguing study in contrasts. The composition is dominated by dark tones, punctuated by geometric elements and soft, blurred orbs of light. Rossler’s interest in the formal qualities of the image invites a semiotic interpretation. Note how the numeral "2" is sharply in focus. It acts as a signifier, demanding attention, while the out-of-focus orbs could be seen as destabilizing established meanings. The photograph's structure—the interplay between defined edges and blurred forms—mirrors the avant-garde's broader challenge to fixed perspectives and conventional representation. Rossler here engages with the poetics of light and shadow to investigate a new understanding of space, perception, and representation. The aesthetic experience of the image lies not just in what it depicts, but in how it challenges our vision.