Flower c. 1930s

This is Dorothy Norman’s “Flower,” a photograph, and what a beauty it is. The composition is strikingly simple, almost severe: a pale flower, maybe a lily, set against a black backdrop and framed by pointy architectural shapes. There's a raw, almost tactile quality to Norman’s work. The stark contrast between light and shadow gives the flower a sculptural presence, like you could reach out and touch its petals. It’s the kind of photo that makes you wonder about the artist's process, what she was thinking when she framed that shot. You can see how she uses light, and it gives the image a certain weightiness. Norman's flower reminds me a little of Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings, but with a photographic edge. Both artists had a knack for capturing the essence of a flower, the way they use it to make you see things differently. Art is all about seeing, isn’t it?