Dali Atomicus 1948

Philippe Halsman made this photograph, *Dali Atomicus*, using a large format camera and a few assistants to throw water and cats. The image has this incredible quality of suspension, a moment of chaos caught in a still frame. It really speaks to me about the nature of artmaking itself. The way Halsman orchestrates the elements is like a conductor leading an orchestra. There’s the splash of water that creates an arc in mid-air, the floating furniture, and even the cats, frozen mid-leap. Each element is carefully arranged, not just to capture a moment, but to construct a surreal composition. I can only imagine how many times they had to throw the water, and those poor cats! It reminds me of the kind of labor involved in painting, waiting for the right moment to appear, whether by accident or design. It also makes me think of other photographers, like Harold Edgerton, who explored motion with their cameras. But unlike Edgerton’s scientific approach, Halsman’s work is pure theater. It's a reminder that art is not just about capturing reality, but about staging it, manipulating it, and ultimately, transforming it into something entirely new.