Equivalent 1931

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, "Equivalent," with a camera and film. The tones are grey, ranging from near black to bright white. You can see clouds, but they are not just clouds, right? I wonder what it was like for Stieglitz to make this work, standing outside, looking up, and waiting. The process of making it would have been about feeling the wind and sun, choosing just the right moment. It makes me think about other artists like Gerhard Richter who make paintings of clouds, or Vija Celmins with her drawings of the night sky. The darkest marks in Stieglitz’s photo contrast so strongly with the white and give the image a dramatic feel. These aren’t clouds to relax under but ones that seem to signify something deeper and more turbulent. The artist’s subjectivity is so present here. Artists keep looking and keep making, responding to the work of those who came before them. This is how we generate new ideas in art, embracing doubt and exploring multiple possibilities.