Neahkahnie Mountain, Oregon 2004

Robert Adams made this photograph, Neahkahnie Mountain, Oregon, using traditional black and white photography. You know, it’s interesting how Adams zooms right in, forcing us to really *see* this one leaf. The texture's incredible, isn't it? All those tiny veins and jagged edges – it’s almost like a map. And then there are the holes. It’s like nature’s had its way with this leaf, leaving these traces, like little gestures. The monochrome palette really emphasizes the physical form and decaying process. Look at the way that one little worm has carved out a kind of meandering path, which becomes a pure line. This reminds me of some of Agnes Martin’s more delicate drawings, and also Vija Celmins and their close-up focus on naturally occuring forms. There's a similar interest in pattern and rhythm. But where they create images of perfection, Adams shows us the beauty of imperfection, of something that’s been marked and changed by time. Art allows us to see the world as interconnected and constantly in flux.