Neahkahnie Mountain, Oregon 2004

Robert Adams made this gelatin silver print of Neahkahnie Mountain, Oregon, with light and shadow. The process feels so considered. You can tell that his art-making is about looking closely at the world. The leaves in this piece are fascinating. Look at all those tiny holes and trails, so delicate against the stark white of the sky. It's all about texture. The jagged edges of the leaves, contrasted with those smooth, almost buttery, shadows. And the light! It's not just illuminating; it's sculpting the form of the leaves. It gives them weight, but also makes them feel fragile. Notice the way the stem reaches upwards. It's like a line drawing, so precise and yet so organic. It reminds me of some of Agnes Martin's grids, the way she balances control and chance. Like Martin, Adams invites us to see the beauty in the everyday. Art is an ongoing conversation, with each artist adding their voice to the mix. It is never really about fixed meanings, more about seeing the world, and all its glorious, damaged, beautiful details in a new way.