Zuma #20 1978

John Divola's photograph, *Zuma #20*, captures a scene with light, shadow, and texture. What strikes me most is how the artist plays with contrasts – the rough, charred wood against the smooth, distant sea. It's a photograph, but the surface almost feels like it’s built from tactile materials. Divola coaxes out these details, and the play of light and shadow across them. The charred wood around the window is fascinating, with its deep blacks and flaky greys. Up close, you see every groove and blister, a record of intense heat and transformation, that frames the soft horizon. It's this duality that gives the work its punch – a burnt-out frame and the infinity of the ocean. It reminds me of Gordon Matta-Clark, who saw beauty and possibility in decay. Divola is showing us that art can come from anywhere, even from destruction. It’s about seeing what others overlook, finding beauty in unexpected places, and engaging in an ongoing conversation about what art can be.