Eye and Strings 1939

Nathan Lerner's 1939 photograph "Eye and Strings" is a surrealist black and white image of a glass eye floating within a grid of strings. The eye is the focal point of the composition, its realistic detail highlighting the unsettling nature of the subject. The grid, while appearing orderly, serves as a symbolic cage, trapping the eye and creating a sense of confinement and surveillance. The stark contrast between the dark background and the white eye emphasizes its isolation. The image’s symbolism and unsettling tone are hallmarks of Surrealism, a movement that aimed to explore the subconscious mind through the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated elements.