swan 2017

Chaokun Wang made this photograph, 'swan', using a camera to capture a flock of swans in water. The color palette here is really muted, dominated by shades of white and grey, a kind of tonal harmony that is very pleasing to the eye. The surface of the water has these great textural qualities, where the light seems to catch and reflect, so you get this wonderful sense of depth and movement. Take a look at the way Wang has captured the texture of the swans' feathers, with subtle gradations of light and shadow creating a sense of volume. It's almost as if they're floating on a cloud, this soft, ethereal quality that gives the image a dreamlike feel. It reminds me a little of Gerhard Richter's blurred photographs, where the clarity of the image seems to dissolve into a kind of atmospheric haze. Ultimately, the beauty of this photograph lies in its simplicity and its ability to evoke a sense of wonder and contemplation.