Rebecca Salsbury Strand 1922

Alfred Stieglitz captured "Rebecca Salsbury Strand" with a camera, sometime around the early 20th century; it's now resting at the Art Institute of Chicago. There is a real intimacy to the scene – the curve of a body, the light catching on the skin – like the artist is seeing something private and beautiful. I wonder what it was like for Stieglitz to be in that room, looking, framing, waiting for the light. When I look at this photograph, it makes me think about other artists, maybe Georgia O'Keeffe, with her sensual depictions of flowers and landscapes. The image feels connected to a long conversation about the body, beauty, and the act of seeing. The tan line feels so modern. It’s like they’re all searching for new ways to express something essential about being alive, about being in a body, and about the way we see each other.