Untitled (electric griddle) c. 1950

This silver gelatin print of an electric griddle was made by Robert Burian, though when is anyone's guess. It's all sharp angles and reflections, and the monochromatic palette gives it a kind of alien sleekness, transforming a mundane kitchen appliance into an object of almost science-fiction wonder. It's kind of how I approach a canvas, starting with something simple and letting the process take over. The texture is so smooth, you could almost feel the cool metal, but then you notice the grimy marks, the scuffs, and the reflections that warp the surface. All that disruption adds a layer of reality. Look at the electrical cord, snaking out from the side. See how it looks almost organic against the machine? It's in these details that the photograph comes alive. The piece reminds me of some of Bernd and Hilla Becher's photographs of industrial buildings. Burian, like the Bechers, is using the camera to bring attention to the aesthetics of things that are normally overlooked, revealing unexpected beauty in the everyday.