American Pictorial Photography, Series Two 1901

This anonymous series of American pictorial photography is bound in a dark green cover with an embossed seal. The cover has a visible texture that makes me want to reach out and run my fingers over it. Look closely, and you can see a raised circle with an imprint at its center. It's a quiet image, but it speaks volumes about the act of art-making as a tactile, embodied process. It's all about the materials, the surface, and the slight variations in tone. The more you look, the more you see. There's a sense of history and age in the worn texture of the cover and the slight discoloration, all signs of its past. I’m reminded of Agnes Martin, who used very subtle grids and washes of color to create paintings that were both minimalist and deeply emotional. This unassuming book cover is not dissimilar. It reminds us that art can be found in the most unexpected places and that beauty often lies in the simplest of forms.