Commission Exhibit #399 1963

This photograph, titled "Commission Exhibit #399", was produced anonymously, and its date is unknown. It captures a single object suspended in a sort of limbo. The monochrome palette here really flattens the image, it’s like the photo is investigating the subject and its form, whilst leaving space for our own imaginations. The object, maybe a bullet or a tool, is rendered with such precision that you could almost feel its texture against your skin. There's a tension in the contrast between the sharp details of the grooves and ridges on the object and the blurry, indistinct background. This tension adds a sense of mystery. I think of the way Jasper Johns would isolate everyday objects in his paintings and drawings. There’s something similar here, in how the mundane is rendered extraordinary through the act of isolation and close examination. It's like the picture is asking us to reconsider the things we take for granted.