New York from the Shelton 1935

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, New York from the Shelton, sometime in the early 20th century. Look at how he's used the tones, layering light and shadow, almost like a painter building up layers of color. It's a process of revealing and concealing. There's a real tactile quality here, even though it's a photograph. You can almost feel the grit of the city, the weight of those buildings pressing down on the skyline. And the way the light catches on the edges of the clouds, it's like a delicate dance between the ephemeral and the monumental. Notice how the tallest building pierces the sky, a symbol of ambition and progress, but also maybe a little bit of hubris. Stieglitz reminds me of someone like Gerhard Richter, in the way he embraced the possibilities of his chosen medium to create something that transcends mere representation. It's not just about capturing a scene, it's about capturing a feeling, a mood, a way of seeing the world. Art is an ongoing conversation, a back-and-forth between artists across time, each one building on what came before.