Plate Number 155. Jumping, running straight high jump 1887

Eadweard Muybridge created this photographic study, Plate Number 155. Jumping, running straight high jump, to dissect and understand the mechanics of human motion. The sepia tones lend the work a scientific formality, while the grid-like composition presents the subject as an object of study. Muybridge’s work is fascinating for its blend of art and science. By capturing movement in discrete frames, he challenges our perception, breaking down continuous action into a series of static moments. This process destabilizes our intuitive understanding of motion, inviting us to consider it as a sequence of positions rather than a fluid transition. Ultimately, the arrangement of these images in a grid pattern invites semiotic interpretation, each frame functioning as a sign that, when viewed in sequence, generates the concept of ‘movement’. It’s a dance between stillness and motion, challenging fixed ideas and inviting us to reconsider our understanding of time and space.