Untitled (Falling Buffalos) 1988 - 1989

David Wojnarowicz created this print, Untitled (Falling Buffalos), a monochrome image that captures a moment of precarious balance and inevitable descent. The photograph suggests a scene of both action and stillness, of being on the verge. The texture in the image is palpable, especially in the rough, craggy cliff face, which contrasts sharply with the smooth, dark forms of the buffalo. The buffalos look like toys but also like they are doomed in some way. This image has a theatrical quality. You can almost hear the thundering hooves and the echoing silence of the landscape. Consider the lone buffalo plummeting. The whole image feels tragic and a bit absurd, like a Beckett play. Like a performance. Wojnarowicz's work often dealt with themes of alienation, loss, and societal critique, and this photograph encapsulates that spirit. It is reminiscent of other artists dealing with similar questions, like Kiki Smith. It leaves you pondering the weight of gravity and the fragility of existence.