At Anchor Possibly 1894 - 1934

Alfred Stieglitz’s photograph, At Anchor, is composed of layered grays, from the light sky to the wet sand. It feels like a painting because of its tonal range. I can imagine Stieglitz out there, the wind whipping around him, waiting for the right moment. What was he thinking, looking at that boat stuck in the sand? Maybe he saw something of himself in it – a little stuck, a little yearning for the open water. The anchor in the foreground has such a strong presence, and the flag at the top of the mast gives a sense of upward aspiration. It reminds me of other photographers like, let’s say, Paul Strand, who were also trying to push photography toward abstraction. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that all artists are in conversation with each other. Each one responds to what came before, pushing the boundaries a little further, trying to capture something true about being alive.