Röntgenfoto van de ruggengraat van Isabel Wachenheimer 1935

This radiograph, or Röntgenfoto van de ruggengraat, of Isabel Wachenheimer's spine, was made anonymously with X-ray technology. Isn't it remarkable how a scientific process can produce something so aesthetically intriguing? The shades of grey, from the deep blacks to the translucent whites, create a ghostly landscape. It’s as if we’re peering into an alien world, or maybe just reminded of the hidden architecture within our own bodies. The spine itself appears as a series of stacked forms, each vertebra a slightly different shape, softened edges hinting at fragility. Notice how the light seems to emanate from within the bones, giving them an ethereal glow. I’m reminded of the paintings of Hilma af Klint, who also explored hidden dimensions and unseen forces. Both artists invite us to reconsider what we perceive as real, challenging our understanding of the visible and invisible. Art, like an X-ray, reveals what lies beneath the surface.