Machine 1931 - 1937

This photograph of a machine, made by an anonymous artist, is kind of like a portrait, but instead of a person, it’s all about this hunk of metal gears and cogs. I find myself thinking about how the artist chose to light the machine, creating a stark contrast that highlights its form. The texture here is really interesting; you can almost feel the cool, hard metal just by looking at it. It feels precise, industrial, and yet, there’s something almost organic about how the parts fit together, like looking at the inner workings of some strange creature. My eye is drawn to the way the light catches on the edges of the gears. It makes me think about how each piece relies on another, how they all fit together to make something bigger. Looking at this, I think about other artists who are drawn to the beauty of mechanical forms, like Léger, or maybe even some of the more abstract photographers. Ultimately, this image is a reminder that art can be found in the most unexpected places, and that beauty can exist in the most functional of objects.