Songs of the Sky or Equivalent 1923 - 1929

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of clouds, known as “Songs of the Sky or Equivalent”, sometime in the 1920s using a small-format camera. In post-World War One America, photography was gaining acceptance as an art form, distinct from painting. Stieglitz championed what he called "straight photography," meaning the image should not be manipulated in the darkroom but rather, the artistic vision should be evident in the moment of capture. "Songs of the Sky" reflects this approach, using the camera to capture the inherent beauty of nature. It is thought that Stieglitz titled the series "Equivalents" to suggest that these photographs were equivalent to his own emotions and inner states. Through archival research and a deep dive into the artist’s biography we can better understand the social and intellectual context that gave rise to his work. His photography challenged the established art world to recognize the artistic potential of this new medium.